Mood:
sadTopic: human rights
Australian Coalition for Democracy in Burma Inc
Media Release
28 August 2007
Howard must condemn Burma regime repression of peaceful protestors
The President of the Australian Coalition for Democracy in Burma
(ACDB), John Kaye, today called on the Prime Minister John Howard to
condemn the Burmese military regime for brutally repressing peaceful
protest in Rangoon and arresting over a hundred protestors.
Dr Kaye said *Last week, thousands of demonstrators took to the street
to protest hikes of petrol and basic commodities prices and to demand a
return to democracy.
*The Burmese military regime responded with a brutal crackdown and
arrested over a hundred peaceful demonstrators.
*So far the Australian government has remained silent. Neither the
Prime Minister nor Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer have taken
a stand.
*Other democracies have voiced their concern.
*It is time Australia joined them and made it clear to the Burma regime
that this behaviour is unacceptable. We are calling on the Australian
government to halt all cooperation with the Burmese regime.
*Australia can play a useful role in pressuring the regime into freeing
all political prisoners, including Nobel Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,*
Dr Kaye said.
The ACDB will join with Burmese community in Australia to protest
outside Burmese embassy in Canberra.
Place: Burmese Embassy, Canberra
Time: Friday 31 August 12:30 pm.
Media Contacts: John Kaye 0407 195 455; Maung Maung Than: 0411 337
816
The ACDB is a cross party coalition of Federal and State
Parliamentarians committed to the restoration of democracy in Burma.
Posted by editor
at 1:05 PM NZT
