Media Release of Occupation of Dower's Party HQ

Date: 29th of June 2000

A protest occupies Liberal Party HQ on 5:23pm, Sunday, 2nd July 2000 to demand cancellation of Human Rights training. Members of the Burmese community from the Free Burma Action Committee and their supporters staged a sit in protest for an hour inside the HQ of the Liberal Party in Sydney, Australia.

The activists were protesting against the recent announcement by Alexander Downer that Australian government would fund human rights training for officials of the illegal military dictatorship in Burma. The first two training will commence in Burma in July and the second session will commence in October.

The spokesperson for the Free Burma Action Committee Maung Maung Than said,

“ The leader of the democratic movement in Burma, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, clearly opposed this human rights training projects which only serves to legitimise the dictatorship”.

This move by the government to provide training will reflect badly on Australia’s human rights record, internationally. While Europe and the US engaged, have engaged limited sanctions against military regime, the Australian government is working with dictatorship. This is the wrong message to be sending to the regime.

The protestors have vowed to continue their actions until the proposals are cancelled.

For Further Information please call:

Maung Maung Than 041337816 (Free Burma Action Committee)