12/6/97:FAIR-DINKUM AUSSIE'S SPIRIT

[uneoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: 12/6/97:FAIR-DINKUM AUSSIE'S SPIRIT HELP BURMESE CAUSE

/* Written 16 Jun 6:00am 1997 by drunoo@xxxxxxxxxxxx in igc:reg.burma */
/* -------------" Fair-dinkum Aussie's spirit help Burmese "------------ */

AUSTRALIAN'S FIGHTING-SPIRIT HELP BURMESE CAUSE
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Following is a letter from my long-time Australian friend who living in
Sydney, Australia (Name and Address suppressed for good reason). In the
world and so also is in Australia, the governments seek to promote national
self-interests as a priority, while the so-called NGOs tend to look,
firstly, for "What's it in for us?" (Not all NGOs, of course, are of this
type.) In such atmosphere of a self-interest driven world, it is to be
acknowledged that the fighting-spirit of this Australian being truly
selfless and  extraordinary. I have taken the liberty to broadcast his
letter on BurmaNet NOT ONLY to inspire our friends around the world, BUT
ALSO to "SHAME" those Burmese who took refuge and confort in Australia and
elsewhere and then failing to take part in any action on Burma. Those
indifferent-Burmese in Australia, perhaps, will have their moments of truth
in discovering theirselves when a Boat-load of Burmese refugee hitting the
coast of Australia.

With best regards, U Ne Oo.
* FAIR-DINKUM (an australian-english word) = genuine
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A LETTER FROM AUSTRALIAN FRIEND
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Dated 29/5/97

Dear Doctor,

Thank you for the material you have been sending me I have put this to good
use sending copies of selected items to my colleague in the United States
who use material that I send him to lobby members of congress.

Unlike you I did not congratulate Alexander Downer for allocating 1.8
million dollars more to help Burmese refugees. I regard this as just
another example of the sort of band aid diplomacy that is part of the
foreign policy of this government. It is no use helping to pick up the
pieces. It is necessary to address the cause. The cause is long years of
military totalitarian rule in Burma, mismanagement and corruption.

I have attacked the Australian government, and in particular the Minister
for foreign affairs for lacking the courage to stand up to the SLORC, and I
have stated that in my opinion the department of foreign affairs is morally
bankrupt.

As you are no doubt aware I have first hand knowledge of human rights
violations in Burma having penetrated more deeply into the black areas of
Burma than any other Australian to obtain this evidence which has been
accepted by the United Nations in evidence against Burma. As I feel that
the present Australian government is unlikely to take strong action over
Burma I have been concentrating on getting action through the United States
and the EEC nations. I have contacts in many places and am only restricted
by lack of funds being on a pension and having by and large spent all my
savings on trips to Burma etc.

I shall continue to fight tooth and nail until the people of Burma
including the many different ethnic groups achieve their object of at least
a measure of democracy.

I hope that I shall be able to meet with you one of these days as I would
be interested in having a frank discussion with you.

I hope to be able to travel to Canberra for the usual 8/8 demonstrations
outside the Burmese embassy in Canberra and meetings with the members of
other groups.

Yours sincerely,
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MY REPLY
********
							Dr U Ne Oo
							48/2 Ayliffes Road
							ST MARYS SA 5042
							
							June 12, 1997.
	Dear Sir,

	Thank you so much for your letter of 29/5. I am also very happy
	to hear that my communications, in some way, have been helpful
	to you in assisting our campaign for freedom and democracy for
	people of Burma.

	I am very much encouraged and very appreciative of your 
	determination to help us despite a lack of funds and resources.
	This kind of fighting spirit of yours is lending a great moral
	support to us. Such support from grassroots individuals is
	most important, I believe, in sustaining our democracy movement.

	I myself is also in the same struggle about lack of resources. 
	Being a Burmese refugee in Australia and basically unemployed 
	since 1993 - that was the year I have completed my degree - to 
	stay in the struggle is a struggle itself, to say the least. 
	However, as I have a great faith in the cause for democracy in 
	Burma, and held a belief that I, as a Burmese national, must do 
	the best of my ability to help	furthering the cause; I just keep 
	moving forward. I must also say that the commitment and actions 
	by Australians such as your's have always been good inspiration 
	to me. 

	Fortunately though, for me there has been ways to communicate 
	with our pro-democracy groups around the globe with little cost. 
	As you may know, the E-mails and Web-pages technologies have 
	certainly been helping us - though we cannot count much on security
	of the communication - in dissemination efforts. I however still use
	the snail-mail (normal post-mail) as a secured-form of communication.

	I have enclosed some communications/discussions regarding various
	matters relating to Burma. Most of my writings and works were
	summarised in my personal Web-page 

		http://www.physics.adelaide.edu.au/~uneoo

	Please do not hesitate to visit My house (of which I often claimed
	as a "Burmese Refugee Camp in Australia") in Adelaide if you happened 
	to be in South Australia. For any matter please feel free to 
	contact me in Adelaide.

					Yours sincerely
					(U NE OO)
/*Endreport */