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Protesters break into Myanmar embas



Subject: Protesters break into Myanmar embassy in Canberra 

Protesters break into Myanmar embassy in Canberra
06:38 a.m. Sep 09, 1999 Eastern
CANBERRA, Sept 9 (Reuters) - About 100 protesters broke into the Myanmar
embassy in Australia on Thursday after smashing fences and overpowering
police.

Australian Federal Police spokesman Daryl Webb told Reuters the protesters
overwhelmed around 15 police officers and smashed fences to get inside the
compound where they burned a Burmese flag and tried to tear down the embassy
flagpole.

The protesters were later cleared from the embassy compound but began a
sit-on outside the building.

The protest followed a worldwide call from exiled dissidents for an uprising
against the military government in Yangon on ``four nines'' day. Similar
protests were held in other Australian cities.

September 9, 1999, was chosen for its numerical significance after the first
uprising 11 years ago on August 8, 1988 in which thousands of pro-democracy
demonstrators were killed.

A Myanmar government spokesman told Reuters that embassies in any country
must be given protection against violent acts.

``Disciplined demonstrations are quite acceptable but physical destruction
is a criminal offence,'' he said when commenting on the storming of the
Myanmar embassy,

``I am certain that the Australian government will provide the Myanmar
embassy in Canberra with all necessary protection,'' he added.

Webb said two protesters were arrested, one for breaching the peace. He was
later released after agreeing not to return to the protest. The second was
arrested for assaulting a police officer.

``The most disturbing fact about it is that people tried to target police.
They decided to vent their anger at police.''

One police officer was injured when a clod of dirt was thrown into his eye
and another was kicked in the groin. Several police received minor cuts and
bruises in the skirmish, he said.

In Melbourne, about 90 people, mostly Burmese exiles with red armbands,
chanted and sang on the steps of Victoria's state parliament.

``We wanted to organise something public as a gesture to express we oppose
military rule,'' said Lynn Shwe, a member of the All Burma Student
Democratic Front, one of the organisers.
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