Burma protesters call for sanctions

[082903@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: Burma protesters call for sanctions.



		Burma protesters call for sanctions
		***********************************


WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 (UPI) _ More than a dozen students from Burma and 
their supporters demonstrated peacefully
outside the White House today. 

They are calling on President Clinton to impose sanctions and take other 
actions to protect pro-democracy advocates in their
native country. 

The protesters warn that political crackdowns, including state- 
sanctioned murder and arrests, could increase after the recent
incarceration of more than 850 students in Burma who maintain pro- 
democracy positions. Several journalists have also been
deported recently from Burma. 

White House spokesman David Johnson says Clinton on his recent trip to 
Asia called on Burma's neighboring countries to
take steps to curb any potential actions against pro-democracy activists. 

Johnson says ``this is something we are keeping an eye on,'' adding that 
if any improprieties take place on the part of the
Burmese government ``we would look at it quite gravely.'' 

The demonstrators circulated petitions during their lunch-hour protest 
asking for Clinton's support for sanctions against the
Burmese government. 

In a statement, a group called the Democratic Burmese Student 
Organization says Clinton should denounce Burma's so-called
``State Law and Order Restoration Council,'' and it calls for ``strongly 
asserting America's concern for the democracy
movement in Burma.'' 

There is currently legislation proposed in Congress that would lead to 
U.S. financial sanctions against Burma. 

[Reuter, 12 December 1996].

------------------------------------------------------------------------------