Burmese Activist Solicits Help From Korean Businesses

By Yoon Won-sup
Staff Reporter

Harn Yawnghwe

An activist for Burmese democratization urged the Korean businessmen not to just focus on making money but to contribute to democratization process in Burma.
``We need support from the business community, especially from Korea. If the military in Burma keeps getting money from the business partners, they will not listen to calls for democratization,'' Harn Yawnghwe, director of Brussels-based Euro-Burma, said during a press conference at the Kim Dae-jung Library in Donggyo-dong, Seoul, Monday.

Yawnghwe, 59, took an example of a Korean company, Daewoo International, which illegally sold arms to the Burmese military and built weapons-making factories in Burma. Daewoo officials in charge are now on trial.

The activist didn't ask the Korean businessmen to stop their work in Burma because companies of other countries will fill the empty space if Korean companies leave Burma.

Instead Yawnghwe suggested that Korean executives talk to the generals or senior soldiers in the military regime about the real situation in Burma. He expected influential Korean businessmen's advice for the generals to work for the democratization.

``We are upset at the cruel pictures in which soldiers shoot people down in recent demonstrations in Burma,'' he said. ``The generals responsible for this need to hear, even from the business partners.''

Another contribution the Korean businessmen can make for Burma is improvement of education system, he added.

``Only 30 percent of Burmese people finish primary schools,'' he said. ``If companies want to do business with Burma, please think of how to help children rather just doing business.''

In the meantime, Yawnghwe stressed that the problems in Burma lies not only in the military rule but also in minority groups. The number of people belonging to various minority groups represents 40 percent of total population in Burma and their homeland makes 60 percent of the total territory, according to him.

``In spite of different backgrounds, people are quite united,'' he continued. ``The major problem is that the military does not want to give up power and does not treat the rest of people equally.''He visited Seoul to join ``A Night for Democracy in Burma'' in Seoul today organized by the Kim Dae-jung Peace Center.

Yawnghwe was a son of Burma's first president when a military coup took place in Burma in 1962 and he has since worked for Burmese democracy overseas.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/special/2007/12/178_14874.html