AAP NEWSFEED March 31, 1999, Wednesday ALP outrage over ACT Burma
contract CANBERRA, March 31 AAP - An ACT government contract to
provide street signs for Burma has sparked outrage from the
territory's Labor opposition. Totalcare, the body in charge of all
urban services in the ACT, revealed in its internal newsletter it had
won the contract for freeway signs after a visit from a Burmese
delegation last year.
"By working closely with the Burmese embassy we got (the signs) word
perfect and the Burmese government was delighted with the result," a
Totalcare employee told the newsletter. But ACT Labor MLA Simon
Corbell said it was unethical and repugnant to accept money from one
of the region's most repressive and unethical regimes.
"I find it disturbing and repugnant that an ACT government-owned
company thinks it's acceptable business practice to accept money from
a military regime which has arbitrarily detained, tortured and killed
thousands of Burmese citizens," he said in a statement.
Mr Corbell said news of the contract came just days after the death
of Michael Aris, the husband of Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu
Kyi, who was refused permission to make a farewell visit to his wife.
(News agencies report that Suu Kyi refused an offer from the ruling
State Peace and Development Council to go to England for the funeral
of Aris, fearing she might not be allowed to return to Burma.)
"It would be interesting to see the value of the contract Totalcare
has with the Burmese government," Mr Corbell said. "Canberrans should
be concerned that a company owned by them accepts money from a
dictatorial military regime with scant regard for human rights or the
rule of law."
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