Reuters- Embassies press to see Bri

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Subject: Reuters- Embassies press to see Briton jailed in Myanmar 

Embassies press to see Briton jailed in Myanmar
02:32 a.m. Sep 03, 1999 Eastern
By David Brunnstrom

BANGKOK, Sept 3 (Reuters) - British and Australian diplomats were pressing
for access to a dual national given a long jail term in Myanmar for
pro-democracy activism this week, the Australian ambassador to Myanmar said
on Friday.

Yangon said on Thursday that a court had jailed James Mawdsley, who holds
dual British-Australian nationality, for 17 years after a third illegal
entry to demonstrate for democracy.

It said the 26-year-old from Lancashire, England, was in jail in the remote
northeastern town of Kengtung not far from the Thai border he crossed on
Tuesday carrying pro-democracy leaflets.

``We are continuing to press for consular access and it has not yet been
granted,'' Australian ambassador to Myanmar Lyndall McLean told Reuters by
telephone.

The government said on Thursday access was being arranged.

``We hope it's being arranged,'' Mclean said, ``but it hasn't been confirmed
yet.''

The British embassy issued a statement on Thursday saying it was unhappy
with the way Myanmar had handled the case and the lack of consular access.

Mawdsley had been arrested for protesting against military rule in Myanmar
twice before -- in 1997 and 1998. Last year, he was sentenced to five years'
jail but was freed from solitary confinement in Yangon's notorious Insein
jail after 99 days.

Yangon says he was freed after pleas from his parents and the British and
Australian embassies on condition he did not return.

Since he had done so, it said that five-year term was being reactivated and
he was handed a fresh five years for illegal entry and seven years for
breaking the publishing law.

Myanmar's military has been criticised worldwide for human rights abuses
since taking direct power in 1988 by killing thousands to crush a
pro-democracy uprising.

It ignored the result of the last election in 1990 when the National League
for Democracy won by a landslide and has since tried to silence dissent
through arrests and intimidation.

Mawdsley's arrest came as dissidents have stepped up activity since calling
for a new mass uprising on the numerically significant ``four nines day'' --
September 9, 1999. The government has arrested at least several dozen
activists to thwart the campaign in the past month. Mawdsley is the only
foreigner.