18.02.2007
Speaking with NCUB in London
_ by Dr. Tayza
This week the National Council of Union of Burma (NCUB) opened an office for Europe in London. On the side-lines of plenary meetings and opening ceremony, BURMA DIGEST got a chance to speak with Secretary General of NCUB U Maung Maung, and NCUB’s European representative U New Aung, about NCUB, about their European office and about their plans concerning EU common position on Burma.
U Maung Maung is Secretary of NUCB as well as the FTUB, Federation of Trade Unions of Burma.
BURMA DIGEST: First of all please tell us about your political background.
U Maung Maung: During 1988 people power movements I was Chairman of Burma Gems Corporation’s Trade Union and also the General Secretary of Trade Unions of all seven Departments of the Ministry of Mining. After the coup by military regime, me and six other colleagues were sacked from our jobs for taking part in pro-democracy movements. After that I left for Thai-Burma border and there I have been doing pro-democracy activities since then.
(U Maung Maung & Tayza)
BURMA DIGEST: Please also tell us about how NCUB was first established.
U Maung Maung: NCUB was first organized in 1996 with an aim of forming a united national council of all pro-democracy forces. Before NCUB, there was already a Democratic Alliance of Burma. But it was no longer enough because after 1990 elections there came a lot of elected people’s representatives and members of election winning National League for Democracy who fled military regime’s persecution. NLD members did not join DAB, and neither did the elected representatives. So to unite ethnic national forces, NLD members and elected representatives, we formed the National Council of Union of Burma (NCUB) in 1996.
BURMA DIGEST: Also let us know about aims and activities of the Federation of Trade Unions of Burma.
U Maung Maung: FTUB’s main action is reporting SPDC military regime’s labour rights abuses to international authorities, in accordance with international guidelines. We get International Confederation of Free Trade Unions’ assistance in reporting SPDC’s abuses to the International Labour Organization.
And in the border region we also try to explain to our ethnic people about what really is a Trade Union and why they need one and how a Trade Union can help in the pro-democracy movement. We also help form Trade Unions in ethnic areas. We have already established Trade Unions in Karen State, Rakhine State, Chin State and Karenni State. We are currently discussing with Mon people on why they also need a Trade Union. We also try to spread the knowledge about International Labour Standards to people inside Burma, and we are doing it through our local representatives inside the country.
BURMA DIGEST: And the FTUB successfully took legal action on a Gas Company which invested in Burma?
U Maung Maung: Yes, we sued Unocal Company. It all started in 1993. We saw to many people displaced from their homes because of Unocal Company’s gas projects though areas on Thai-Burma border. We were very saddened and also angry on the Gas Company. So we looked for a way to punish them. We told them not to invest in the projects in Burma, and we warned them that we would take legal action on them for their breaches of labour rights.
On 14th February 1994 we had a meeting with them at a monastery in Boston, USA and warned them that we would take legal action on them for their breaches of labour rights if they did not leave Burma. And as they didn’t leave we sued them in 1996 using a case law in USA which said that Americans could be sued in USA for their wrong doings abroad.
(U Maung Maung speaking)
U Maung Maung also explained that currently EU’s assistance for Burma’s pro-democracy movement is non-sustained at best. For instance, they showed eagerness to help at around the time of Depayin massacre, but then got cold feet again. So to improve EU position on Burma NCUB decided to open an office in Europe to lobby EU. And London is the place of choice for NCUB office because of English language as well as because Burma Campaign UK offered to provide a temporary office space for NCUB office in London, he said. In addition to the new office in Europe, NCUB already has offices in Australia, Japan, etc. Particularly, in Japan NCUB office is doing very well with the help of Burmese community in Japan. He said that NCUB offices will be successful only if local communities regard NCUB offices as “ours”.
He also explained that, in addition to lobbying EU for more assistance to Burma’s pro-democracy movement, NCUB office in Europe will make their best efforts to highlight the federal constitution drafted by ethnic and pro-democracy Burmese leaders who cannot accept SPDC military regime’s illegitimate, one-sided and un-balanced pro-military constitution.
BURMA DIGEST also interviewed NCUB’s European representative U New Aung.
BURMA DIGEST: Can we know about your previous political activities?
U New Aung: I am originally from the Committee for Restoration of Democracy in Burma (CRDB), and I am based in Germany. As a member of CRDB I have been cooperating with pro-democracy groups and ethnic forces in Thai-Burma border area.
Professionally I was a University teacher. While I was back in Rangoon more than twenty years ago, I worked in Rangoon University Chemistry Department, and later in Chemical Engineering Department. I fled Burma since 1976.
(U Nwe Aung & Tayza)
BURMA DIGEST: How you become the representative of NCUB?
U New Aung: I was working for NCGUB (National Coalition Government of Union of Burma) since it’s beginning days in Manerpalaw. Later NCUB also ask me to take some duties for them. So, as a member of CRDB, I joined NCUB.
BURMA DIGEST: What are the aims and objectives of NCUB office in Europe?
U New Aung: It in fact is not just an office of NCUB; rather it should be regarded as an office for all pro-democracy activists from Burma. The main aim of the office is to establish contact with all Burmese pro-democracy activists in Europe and to build unity and to work together for restoration of democracy in our country.
BURMA DIGEST: What about EU common position on Burma?
U New Aung: We’ll work together with all pro-democracy networks in Europe like Euro Burma Network and Forum of Burmese in Europe to get EU common position on Burma improved. EU reviews its common position in April every year. So together with EBN, FBE, etc NCUB office will ask EU to improve its current common position on Burma.
So, on the twelfth of February, in commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the formation of Union of Burma, NCUB formally opened its office in Europe with a hope of solidifying exile Burmese pro-democracy movement in Europe, and also of lobbying EU to strengthen their common position on Burma.
On the occasion, John Bercow MP, co-Chair of British All Party Parliamentary Group on Burma, said that there is no doubt about forced labour, political oppression, atrocities on ethnic minorities, and the use of disproportionately large number of child soldiers are occurring in Burma under an illegitimate and fascistic military regime which has a habit of mass-slaughtering its own innocent people.
(John Bercow MP speaking)
He also stressed on the need for cross-border aid to poor suffering people in ethnic areas of Burma. And as dictators make bad business partners, he said, it will be the best if Britain put a unilateral investment ban on Burma. British government needs to do more to stop investments flowing into Burma through British Overseas Teritories. And he also highlighted EU’s current inefficient common position on Burma, which puts sanctions on small businesses like pine-apple juice exports, but not ban investments in oil and gas sector which provides the main income for Burmese Generals.
He also confirmed British parliamentarians’ overwhelming support for UN Security Council on Burma. It’s really tragic that Russia & China blocked UN action on Burma, and it’s really disappointing that South Africa sided with Russia & China, he said. But nevertheless, he promised that there will be another attempt at UN Security Council as there is absolutely no doubt that Burma’s military regime is a threat to the people, to regional neighbours and to the wider world. Moreover, Burma’s case should be considered not only as a threat to regional stability but also as a case of attempted genocide, he suggested.
And Mark Farmaner, campaign manager of the Burma Campaign UK, speaking on the NCUB office opening ceremony, agreed that EU need to make their common position on Burma become more effective. For example, he said, despite visa ban EU usually give red-carpetted welcome to Burmese military Generals whenever they come to Europe for meetings, and Generals’ sons and daughters are studying in EU countries, getting visas mysteriously.
So we hope that NCUB office in Europe will be a boost for our efforts to get more efficient EU common position on Burma.
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Comments:
Kyaw Zwa said _
U Nwe Aung could be "U New Aung is for a new victory".
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