United Methodists applaud Supreme Court review

NEW YORK -- The Women's Division, United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, is applauding a Nov. 29 U.S. Supreme Court decision to review the Massachusetts Myanmar Law.

The intent of that law is to allow state and local governments to register their objections to human rights abuses in other nations by restricting purchases from companies that do business in those countries.

The Nov. 29 decision comes after the Women's Division signed on to an amicus brief in October with other non-profit organizations, showing support for the Massachusetts law.  The friend-of-the-court brief was presented to the Supreme Court with the request that the court hear the case.

The Massachusetts law limited state purchases in Myanmar, formerly Burma, because of the abuse of human rights there.  It gave a 10 percent cost preference to bids from companies without business in Myanmar.

A lower court threw out the Massachusetts law earlier this year after it was challenged by about 600 corporations under the name of the National Foreign Trade Council.

"Signing on to the friend-of-the-court brief does two things," said Lois M. Dauway, a Women's Division executive.  "It shows our belief in a biblical mandate to care for the 'least of these' and to 'do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God' as we strive for human rights for all people, especially the women and children who are most affected by these abuses.

"It also becomes a voice for those who are oppressed and dispossessed as we confront hundreds of multinational corporations who ignore the human rights abuses and make money by dealing with countries like Myanmar," she continued.

According to the Supreme Court appeal, prepared by the Georgetown University Law Center, "official reports of the U.S. government, the United Nations and the International Labor Organization find that the military government of Myanmar has violated international standards of public morality. These abuses include forced labor, suppression of a democratically elected government, suppression of individual political rights, torture, rape and various forms of discrimination against ethnic minorities."

The Women's Division has also been engaged in various corporate shareholder resolutions related to business ventures in Myanmar.

The Supreme Court case is Natsios vs. National Foreign Trade Council, 99-474.

*Martini is executive secretary for communications with the Women's Division.