Andrew C. Price, a junior at the University of Virginia, said in a press release that his state's Burmese investments sends a contradictory message to students.

"Through its investments in UNOCAL oil company, the State of Virginia and the University of Virginia are still supporting slavery. This investment offends every value we are taught in our schools and universities," he said.

Student organizers from around the country have been planning today's fast for about three weeks.

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), who provided the impetus for the Times article by providing unclassified State Department documents to the newspaper, has promised in conjunction with Republicans Jesse Helms of North Carolina and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky to introduce legislation calling to prohibit imports from Burma.

Burma was known as Myanmar until 1989, shortly after military rule was imposed on the country in 1988.

Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the nation's pro-democracy movement, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize while under house arrest in December 1991, and remains imprisoned in his home.