On foreign aid 3 December 1998

There is no doubt that other countries will aid a country which has a government that is respected by the people, a government that is one with the people, a government that is aware of its responsibilities to the people and acts responsibly. The country receiving such aid must spend it wisely, honestly and responsibly otherwise it will amount to pouring water through a sieve.

We need to look at how our living standard in 1998 compares with our living standard in 1988. Has it improved or has it deteriorated ? We have repeatedly emphasised that living standards relate to health and education. It bears repeating because it is the truth. Physical health will produce physical well being.

Education develops our ability and potential - not our physical ability but our mental ability. What is there that is good for a person with poor education and poor health?

What does this show? That our country is not progressing but is deteriorating. In assessing the living standard, one must look at the majority of people and not at small visible elite group. The vast majority - what is their plight? Look at the medical facilities? Look at the educational facilities? Universities are now closed. Universities are the highest level. But look at the lowest level- primary schools. Even there, non attendance numbers are increasing.

I am talking about the numbers who do not attend school at all. The percentage of drop-outs from primary schools too is increasing.

The percentage of children who cannot go to school also has increased.

No matter how aid is received from the international community, a country whose people have lost faith in the government will not advance because there will be no cooperation.

There must be an honest appraisal of the situation and a decision made about our priorities. Only a democratic government can arrive at a right decision. Why? Because in a democratic system the voices of the people will be heard.

Whether you want to listen or do not want to listen the people can make their voices heard.

What I am saying is that countries around the world will have compassion and will come to the aid and assistance of a country where the government is responsible and is one with its people( in mind and body), and the people with full knowledge of their responsibility will cooperate and use this aid to produce effective advantages for the advancement and prosperity of the people.

The matter of billion dollars aid. News that prevails is that Burma will be granted aid of a billion dollars if the authorities can come to a settlement with the NLD. We heard this when Desoto was here so we asked him why, thinking that the would be able to clarify the matter. He said that he had no knowledge about this but explained that when aid of a certain amount was given to Vietnam it was no the basis of its population. Therefore there must be some speculation about the matter and the figure of one billion must have been arrived at on the same basis.

Relinquishing the notion of convening a Peoples Parliament as a prerequisite for negotiation with the authorities is another matter. It is a different issue from the billion dollars. We have not been approached directly but from what is being said by the ambassadors, the reporters, senior members holding high positions in the SPDC my understanding is that if we relinquish the concept of convening a Peoples Parliament, all NLD Parliamentarians-elect and members of the NLD now held and imprisoned will be immediately released. I categorically say that we will not and cannot give up the right to convene parliament.

This is a method employed by dacoits and robbers who hold people for ransom; whose release can be bought by payment of certain sums of money. I have clarified this point that no country with a responsible government will ever accept this proposition. Why? Because if you yield to the demands of a dacoit once, he will offend again. This is the practice of robbers.

Every responsible government will acknowledge that it is wrong to negotiate with robbers and dacoits who hold people for ransom.

Should we now accede to this proposition of relinquishing the right to convene parliament in order that our members be released, what will we do when they are arrested again and we are made to relinquish our desire for democracy.

On this matter we will never give in. That the results of the 1990 General Elections must be implemented is a resolution already taken by the United Nations. We already know that the General Assembly of the United Nations has accepted the notion that the will of the people has been expressed in the 1990 General Elections. This is something we can not abandon. It will be to the detriment of our country if after an election has been held the results are not honoured and we do not resist attempts to trivialise it.

The persons in authority who are governing our country have admitted they are not a de jure government. Our parliamentarians are the legally elected representatives of the people.

The dignity and reputation of the elected representatives can not be undermined by us.

The arrests and imprisonment of the elected representatives of the people indicate that the entire country, all the people are being held and imprisoned.

We are all being held captives. The circumstances under which we are being held captives is just a matter of degree.

" Bad " and " worse " is the degree of difference.