www.encarta.com Location of Burma, now Myanmar
By Hilaire Fong
Daily Bruin Contributor
In the next two days, the UC Regents will hear from community
members ““ including representatives from the Undergraduate
Students Association Council and the Environmental Coalition on
Thursday ““ urging them to divest from companies in Burma.
This follows a resolution that USAC passed last month, calling
on the regents to divest from all corporations that conduct
business in Burma.
The resolution states that the State Peace and Development
Council, which has governed Burma since 1962, has denied its people
democracy, human rights and civil liberties. It also states that
the military regime has imprisoned, tortured and killed thousands
of Burmese students, monks, and citizens.
“The resolution is a good way to support public health,
human rights, and children and women’s rights,” said EC
member Sophie Mintier, a fourth-year political science student.
Trey Davis, director of special projects and new media for the
UC Office of the President, said the regents have a responsibility
to protect the university’s investments.
“These investments provide retirement benefits for
thousands of UC employees and support the university’s
educational and research missions,” Davis said via e-mail.
“The university therefore gives substantial consideration of
financial criteria when making its investment decisions.”
The UC is currently investing in Procter and Gamble; Emerson
Electric; Johnson & Johnson and other companies affiliated with
Burma.
The UC divested from companies to help dismantle the apartheid
in South Africa in the 1980s, Mintier said. The EC hopes student
campaigns will result in a similar change for Burma.
USAC academic affairs commissioner Bryant Tan said the council
hopes to continue bringing awareness to the community about freeing
Burma through a benefit concert scheduled for the upcoming spring
quarter.
Student Regent Tracy Davis said she supports what the EC is
proposing. However, she said, it will take time for any change to
be made.
“The issue may take awhile to show up on the
regents’ agenda. Institutions are not known for making
changes quickly,” she said.