Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

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Speech on UN Aid Plan for Burma 4 December 1998

Touching on the billion dollar aid by the World Bank to Burma

Burma has a population of fifty million - the calculation would be twenty dollars per head. What I said before was in reference to what is necessary and what should be given out of charity. I want to dwell on

two parts in relation to this. I will first clarify what I said about the aid of a billion dollars with no strings attached. The news reports are that this aid by the World Bank will be with no strings attached.

This is a presumption on their part. There is no announcement by the World Bank that the aid of a billion dollars will be without any strings attached. There is no offer or promise either.

That this aid will be given if an agreement can be reached with the NLD by the SPDC is also an assumption by the media people.

Let me tell you that this news is without any foundation.

Viet Nam received a certain amount of aid from the World Bank and that figures was arrived at on the basis of its populatin and perhaps an assumption was made on the same basis in arriving at the figure of one billion for Burma.

The second part I want to talk abut related to the issue of "no strings attached". I would like to remind all of us who want democracy and who know the responsibilities that are attached to democracy that there is no such thing as "without strings attached". Whether it be from the World Bank or from any other country any kind of aid is never without strings. I do not mean to say that the World Bank or other countries are void of compassion or charity. They do have compassion, But the reason for giving. There are different types of aid. Some say that this or that country deserves aid and they adopt a strategy while giving that aid. If that be the cse it is'nt without strings. According to the strategy employed, they believe that there can be some profit or gain. There are cases where aid is granted with the belief that something good will result. Even if it be given solely for the welfare of society it is still not without strings.

Why? Studies and research on this kind of aid has been made by responsible financial organisations from responsible countries. For example- an instance where without strings attached aid of a billion dollars was granted the ministers and those in power built palaces for themselves. How can there be such things?

There should be a close scrutiny to see why a billion dollars is granted, how it will be expended and whether the expenditure is properly accounted for, For example- say that there is a request - whether there be a request or not, whether a grant is made through pure charitable feelings, if that money is for agriculture, then how is it going to be used. Will it be used for making canals? Will it be used for granting loans to the poor peasants and cultivators? Otherwise will the agricultral lands be reconstructed? Will the money be used to improve the quality of crops and the ourput? These are questions that have to be asked. But that is not enough. For example, if money is allotted for building canals, there must be a follow-up. Where and how are these canals to be located? Will they be necessary and appropriate? This is the kind of planning that is necessary.

If an irresponsible government does not use the money for the benefit of the people but uses it as a means to perpetuate their hold on power, our country will be in great distress. That is why in giving aid to a country there are many matters to be taken into account. In this instance an institution like the World Bank is not likely to grant aid without any strings attached. The news that is being given out is entirely imaginary. Any grant that is received must be carefully appropriated for the benefit and development of our coutry. There are also loans. They are not given for nothing. Loans have to be repaid. There are some loans with interest and other loans without interest or given at a very low rate of interest. This is a matter that has to be worked out between countries and if there is an amicable arrangement, it can be for the good of the country. Whether the loan bears interest or not or whether the rate is very low. loans have to be repaid. A country that does not repay its cebts suffer a very low reputation. Our country has enjoyed a very good reputation for repaying debts in the past. It is only now, under the rulers that have taken control that we have reached a stage where we will not repay our debts and claim that we do not have the capacity to do so. This is not an enviable position. Only when a debt is repaid a new loan is obtainable.