Anger in New Zealand over Deal Easing Trade with Burma

By VIOLET CHO Friday, August 29, 2008

New Zealand’s left-wing Alliance Party has attacked a trade deal concluded on Thursday with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, calling it a “disgrace” because it will ease business with Burma.

“Free trade here will mean choice New Zealand products will serve at the tables of the fascist junta of Myanmar [Burma], while we get cheap products produced by slave labor in Myanmar [Burma] destroying jobs in New Zealand,” the Alliance said in a statement.

The agreement reached in Singapore cements the “Closer Economic Relations” status between the 10 Asean members and New Zealand and Australia. The status is referred to as Asean-CER.

Ministers at the meeting issued a statement saying the agreement reached there would pave the way towards enhancing the region’s economic integration and act as an impetus to deepen and broaden trade and investment among the 12 participating countries.

The agreement covers investment and trade in goods, services, telecommunications, electronic commerce, economic cooperation and the movement of labor.

New Zealand Trade Minister Phil Goff said: "The importance of concluding this FTA goes beyond simply trade benefits. The agreement is also critical to New Zealand’s longer term strategic engagement and interactions with the Asia-Pacific region."

Asean-CER trade amounted to US $47.8 billion last year. Asean-CER countries are New Zealand’s third largest export market, taking goods and services worth $4.6 billion in the financial year ending in June, 2008.

Alliance Party Spokesman Victor Billot said: “While we make a huge noise about Zimbabwe and the Mugabe regime, on the other hand we are moving further down the path of integrating our economy with dictatorships closer to home like Myanmar [Burma].

“The difference seems to be it’s OK when there is money in it for us. The generals in Burma will be laughing all the way to the bank.”

Billot complained Burma enjoyed a competitive advantage over New Zealand.

“If you disagree with the government in Myanmar [Burma], you get shot. That must assist employment relations with the Myanmar [Burma] working class no end. No negotiations, no strikes, and the ultimate flexible labour force.

“It is indeed a model of how free trade and free markets can operate more successfully without democracy, trade unions or basic humanity.”

New Zealand’s Alliance Party has been unrepresented in the country’s parliament since 2002, but remains politically active. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article4.php?art_id=14088