letter to send (fwd)

[atiah@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 17 Mar 1995 18:18:26 +1000 (EST)
Subject: letter to send


All Burma Students' Democratic Organisation
(Australia)


16 March 1995


The Hon. Garath Evans QC
Ministry  of Foreign Affairs
Parliament House
Canberra  ACT  2600


Dear Minister


We, All Burma Students' Democratic Organisation (ABSDO), founded on January 8, 1995 by Burmese students who migrated to Australia after military brutally crack-downed to nationwide pro-democracy uprising and staged a coup in 1988.  We are very delighted u
pon your foreign policy towards Burma military regime, State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC).  We believed that there must be a strong international community to keep pressure to military government of their human rights violations.  In recent m
oment is to be very important to Burma's future regarding the possible release of Noble Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in coming July when she fulfilled six years of under house arrest.  But it seemed there was no sign of changing in Burma so far e
xcept increasing military power.  Recently the capture of Manerplaw, the headquarters of democratic organisations, SLORC was persuading international community by meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi and releasing some politicians.  But there are thousands of po
litical and student activists including student leader Min Ko Naing and elected MPs, still being held in prison.  Therefore, we believe that SLORC has no right to perform in the international activities such as attending the ASEAN meeting.

Despite the international community's condemnations, we acknowledged that former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke's visit to Burma was a sham for both Australian people who respect human rights, and the government.  He has taking an advantage of Burma'
s civil war and country's political turmoil just to make his own profit.  He also ignored the concern of the international community and its strong pressure toward the oppressive military regime.  Moreover, there were several Australian companies dealing 
with SLORC in business.  We believe the SLORC is using this money to buy ammunition while people suffer from starvation and deprivation.  Therefore, we strongly condemn those companies dealing with SLORC by whatever reasons because those money has never b
een used for the people, and we also urge you to stop those companies to postpone their business in Burma until there is change or before July, 1995 deadlines as you mentioned.  It was figured that the total amount of foreign investment in 1995 has reache
d up to 2.4 Billion dollars, but all these money were spent into military budget.


In conclusion, we strongly denounce to invite Burma to attend in forthcoming ASEAN meeting in July and we urgue you to organise the international community to give political pressure and economic sanctions to restore democracy in Burma. We also request yo
u and the Australian government to lead the international media attention regarding possible dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi and SLORC.

We demand:

-	to release Noble Peace Prize Winner Aung San Suu Kyi before July, 1995

-	to release other student leaders and other political prisoners

-	to transfer power to elected government who won in 1990 election

-	to stop human rights violations


Yours faithfully




Central Committee
All Burma Students' Democratic Organisation (Australia)
38 Kyarra Road
Glen Iris  Victoria  3148
Tel: 03 885 9382.