Australian Government Legitimize Burmese Dictatorship

                                                                      Date: Tuesday, 4 July 2000 11:51

A human rights training Program, provided by the Australian government to the Burmese military regime, started today, despite the protests of democratic leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Burmese community and the Australian supporters.

On June 28, the senate passed a resolution calling on the government to withdraw the $500, 000 funding for this training. On the same day, the Australian council of trade Union congress condemn the Australian government for assisting the Burmese regime.

Burmese community groups organized several protests. Last Thursday in Sydney protesters occupied the NSW Liberal party HQ in Darlinghurst for an hour to stress their demand for cancellation of the project. They also held meetings with official of the department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, DFAT and Ausaid to lodge their protests.

“ Today professor David Kinley, from Human Rights Department of Law Faculty at Monash University in Melbourne, is running the training for the officers of military regime” said Maung Maung Than of free Burma Action Committee.

“ This is against the will of Burmese people and our leader daw Aung San Suu Kyi who made public her no-confidence statement on this project. I urge the Australian public, education unions, trade unions, students unions, and other supporters for democratic Burma to take action against the Government and Monash University" said Mr Than.

An urgent protest, organised by Free Burma Action Committee, will take place at the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission at 133 Castlereagh street  (picadilly tower) in Sydney, on Thursday 6th of July

2000 Noon.

                                                            FREE BURMA ACTION COMMITTEE

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The President of senate

Parliament of Australia

29 June 2000

The Honourable Alexander Downer MP

Minister for Foreign Affair

Parliament House

Canberra, ACT 2600

Dear Minister,

I transmit to you the text of the following resolution agreed to by the

Senate on 28 June 2000:

That the Senate-

(a) Notes the call by Aung San Suu kyi in Burma, and by free Burma Action

Committee in Australia, for the cancellation of the Human Rights training

program offered by Australia to the Burmese military regime: and

(b) Calls on the Australian governemnt to withdraw funding from the program

unless and until it gains the approval of the democratically elected leader

of Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi.

Yours Faithfully,

signed by

Margaret Reid

President of the Senate