JACDB Urges Australia not to pertic

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Subject: JACDB Urges Australia not to perticipate in the Intropol

Conference in Burma
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Joint Action Committee for a Democratic Burma

Sydney - Australia

Media Release
17th February 1999

JACDB URGES AUSTRALIA NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INTERPOL CONFERENCE IN BURMA

According to information obtained, the Australian Government will be sending
three representatives to the Interpol Conference in Rangoon, Burma, at the
end of February 1999.

"Concerns of the Joint Action Committee for a Democratic Burma are that
Australia's presence would lend legitimacy to the regime. JACDB urges
Australia to reconsider its intention to participate in the conference in a
letter sent today to Foreign Minister, Mr Downer" said Burmese community
leader, U Tin Tut.

Interpol 's fourth International Drug Conference will be held in Rangoon
despite a boycott from the US, UK, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark,
Belgium and Italy, and hosted by the military junta of Burma. A public
condemnation of Interpol has been made by Madelaine Albright, US Secretary
of State and Robin Cook, UK Foreign Minister of State for its choice of
Burma as host for the 1999 meeting, accusing the body of "conniving with
drug lords".

Burma is the largest producer of heroin in the Asia Pacific region. The
Burmese government is known to the world and such parties as the
International Parliamentary Union, the United Nations and International
Labour Organization to be corrupt and abusive of human rights. In 1990 they
staged an election, lost and then refused to hand over power to the Nation
League for Democracy, the winning party led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

"Many countries spend millions of dollars trying to stop the flow of drugs
from the golden triangle and vast area of Burma. Yet, by supporting this
conference the dictatorship of Burma will be led to think that their
propaganda is being believed. This conference will bring no benefit to the
people of Burma nor will it aid concerned countries aiming for drug free
societies", said U Tin Tut.

Joint Action Committee for a Democratic Burma (Sydney, Australia)

Media contact:

U Tin Tut, Elected MP for NLD (1990 Election), Tel : (02) 9643 8339


ABSDF -Australia Branch (All Burma Student's democratic Front), ABSDO (All
Burma Student's Democratic Organisation), ABSL (All Burma Students League),
AKO (Australia Karen Organization), AYBL ( All Young Burmese League), BFS
Burmese Family Sydney), BSG ( Burma Support Group), BWU ( Burmese Women's
Union), CDB (Committee for Democratic Burma), CRDB (Committee for
Restoration of Democratic Burma), NLD (L.A) (National League for Democracy,
Liberated Area, Australia), NUPA (National Unity Party of Arakan)