AFP-Embassies still seeking access

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Subject: AFP-Embassies still seeking access to jailed democracy activist in

Myanmar
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Embassies still seeking access to jailed democracy activist in Myanmar
YANGON, Sept 3 (AFP) - The Myanmar junta has still not granted the British
and Australian embassies access to a pro-democracy activist sentenced to 17
years jail, diplomats here said Friday.
Twenty-six-year-old James Mawdsley received a severe 17-year jail term
Wednesday, after being arrested in Myanmar for the third time in two years.

Mawdsley, who holds both British and Australian citizenship, was arrested
Tuesday after crossing illegally into the border market town of Tachilek in
eastern Myanmar carrying some 500 pro-democracy pamphlets.

An Australian diplomat said the embassy hoped to receive permission soon to
visit Mawdsley in a jail in Kyiangton in northeastern Shan state.

"There is a flight up there on Sunday and we hope to be granted access in
time to get someone on that plane, so we can see Mr Mawdsley on Monday," the
diplomat said.

She said it was unclear whether Mawdsley received legal representation
during his one-day trial.

The British Foreign office issued a statement Thursday criticising the
handling of Mawdsley's trial.

A British spokesman said their concerns included "the speed with which Mr
Mawdsley was sentenced and that we did not have access to him before the
trial took place."

Britain's ambassador in Myanmar sent a formal letter of concern to Myanmar
authorities.

He said Friday there had been no response so far but the embassy was hopeful
it would soon be granted access to Mawdsley .

The junta said earlier it was "in the process of giving the respective
embassies consular access."

Junta spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Hla Min Thursday said the court had
reactivated a five year sentence for breaching immigration laws, which was
suspended when Mawdsley was deported in September last year.

He said Mawdsley had also received "another five years for breaching the
same Immigration Act and seven years for breaching the Printers and
Publishers law."

Mawdsley's jailing comes amid calls by exiled pro-democracy activists based
in Bangkok for a mass uprising against the junta on September 9, or 9/9/99,
a day of numerical significance for many Myanmar people.

Eleven years ago on August 8, 1988, or 8/8/88, hundreds of pro-democracy
demonstrators were gunned down and a junta took power from dictator General
Ne Win.

Dissident groups have said the people of Myanmar feel they have an
"appointment" with 9/9/99 to repeat the events of 8/8/88 and end the
military's domination of politics