ABSDO and NUS condemn Aussie Police

[maungt@xxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: Burma Police Conference Press Release

For immediate release....
Australian Burma Visit props up Military Regime
February 10, 1999
The National Union of Students condemned the attendance of Australian
Federal Police and Customs Services officers, at the 4th Interpol
International Heroin Conference to be held in Burma.
NUS President, Jacob Varghese said:
"Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway and Luxembourg are all
boycotting this conference. Australia should follow suit. Sending Australian
delegates will legitimize the military dictatorship in Burma. "
Maung Maung Than, General Secretary of the All Burma Student Democratic
Organization, said:
"The Australian Burma Students Democratic Organization and the National
Union of Students, strongly condemn the Australian Federal Police for their
collusion with the illegitimate military regime that has suppressed the
people of Burma for over three decades"
"We are appalled to learn that Australian Federal Police are not only
ignoring international concern, but are also rejecting the credibility of
the Committee Representing People?s Parliament, which we Burmese people
regard as the highest legitimate authority in Burma."
Maung Maung Than, added:
"If the Australian Federal Police wants to show their concern regarding the
global drug trade, they should support Daw Aung San Suu Kyi calls for
boycotting the regime which is propping up drug production and trafficking
on a global level. We hereby call for all pro-democracy organisations in
Australia and around the world to express their disapproval of the
Australian Federal Police?s actions."
Media Enquiries:
Jacob Varghese                                  Maung Maung Than
National President                                General Secretary
                                                          All Burma Students
Democratic Organization
mobile: 0411 606 808                   mobile: 0411 337 816
                                                          or 02 9643 5015