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Burma on simmer: Fischer.




BURMA ON SIMMER: FISCHER
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National Party leader Tim Fischer has warned of renewed violence in Burma as
the military junta hardens its resolve against democratic reforms in the
trobled country.

Mr Fischer and his wife, Judy, visited the capital Rangoon and met yesterday
with pro-democracy leader and Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who was
released from detention by the junta earlier this year after six years of
house arrest. Ms Suu Kyi has been barred from participating in the political
process and military rulers, known as the State Law and Order Restoration
Council, are in the process of drafting an undemocratic constitution which
would enshrine the role of the military in the country's political affairs.

Foreign Minister Gareth Evans has set 10 benchmarks for the Burmese junta to
meet before relations can be normalised but so far only one, the release of
Suu Kyi, has been met.

The SLORC used the army to put down a student uprising in 1988 and thousands
were killed or jailed. In 1990 it ignored election results in which 80 per
cent of the people voted for Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy.

(By IAN McPHEDRAN, Foreign affairs Reporter).
[The Canberra Times, 8.12.95, p8].

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