Editorials
Thursday, April 24, 1997EVIDENTLY the Clinton administration finds it easier to punish little Burma for its abuses of human rights than big China. The president has ordered a ban on new U.S. investment in Burma because, the administration says, its military rulers have ignored repeated appeals to end repression and move toward democracy. No such measure was taken against China after the massacre of dissidents at Beijing's Tiananmen Square or more recent actions to crush dissenters. Clinton’s investment
ban on little BurmaTo be sure, the military regime in Burma has little to recommend it. Its treatment of Nobel Peace Prize-winner Aung San Suu Kyi, who has crusaded for democracy, has brought it deserved international condemnation. Its nullification of the results of the 1990 elections was a devastating blow. As Clinton pointed out, Burma is also the world's leading producer of opium and heroin, another reason for the investment ban.
The action does not alter the fact that the U.S. is the fourth largest investing country in Burma, and that investment can remain. The largest U.S. investor is Unocal Corp., which has a $1.2 billion partnership with a French company to explore and develop natural gas fields off the coast. Moreover, it's debatable that the ban will benefit Suu Kyi and the other dissidents. It seems equally plausible that the ban could provoke the generals to crack down even harder.
Whatever the effect on Burma, the decision will be applauded by human-rights groups and may take pressure off the administration to act against China. That would be unfortunate because China is a much bigger problem.
Clinton has responded to criticism by meeting with Martin Lee, the most prominent democratic politician in Hong Kong, and the Dalai Lama. These actions displease Beijing but fall short of reversing the policy of dealing circumspectly with China's human-rights abuses and other unacceptable behavior.
Finding the right balance in China policy is difficult. But going easy on China while getting tough with Burma makes the United States look like a bully who backs off when he meets somebody his own size.
WITH prodding from the federal government, the Honolulu Police Department and the state Health Department have launched sting operations to combat illegal sales of cigarettes to minors. Stores that sell tobacco products need to be shown that the prohibition of sales to youngsters under 18 should be taken seriously. Enforcement of the law is long overdue. Teen cigarette sting
WHEN the House of Representatives in January reprimanded Speaker Newt Gingrich and fined him $300,000 for campaign donation irregularities, we called for Gingrich's resignation. Our belief was that this unprecedented rebuke would fatally damage his effectiveness and the Republican cause would suffer if he stayed on. Gingrich's loan
That assessment seems borne out by the weeks that have since passed. The House Republicans are floundering. The announcement that Bob Dole will lend the speaker $300,000 to pay the fine has resurrected the issue of Gingrich's conduct, and not in a way that is complimentary to him.
Rupert E. Phillips, CEO
John M. Flanagan, Editor & Publisher
David Shapiro, Managing Editor
Diane Yukihiro Chang, Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor
Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner, Assistant Managing Editors
A.A. Smyser, Contributing Editor
