Media Release, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

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Subject: Media Release, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, to the Australian Parliament

Media Release
Embargoed, 22nd September 1999, 4.00 PM EST
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
Addresses the Australian Parliament

22nd September 1999, Today

For the first time in the long battle for democracy in her country, Daw 
Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma has singled out an individual country, Australia. 
 Never before has the Noble Peace Prize Laureate and General Secretary of 
the election winning, National League for Democracy addressed an individual 
nation and commented on their policy toward Burma.  In a video smuggled out 
of Burma, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi cautions the Australian Government over 
policies and contacts with the military dictatorship of Burma.  "Sometimes 
we are a little concerned that the policies of the Australian Government 
may not be such that would hasten the process of democratisation in Burma", 
She said.

Mindful of the failure of the international community to respond quickly 
enough to protect the people of East Timor, the Australia Burma Council 
urges the Australian Government to listen to the people of Burma and act in 
accordance with their wishes. While all attention is on East Timor at this 
time, and rightly so, not one day goes by when the people of Burma do not 
suffer the same brutality and injustice. The people of Burma deserve to be 
heard and they deserve protection just as the people of East Timor do. 
Timorese leader, Xanana Gusmao, said in June, that once East Timor is free 
from Indonesian military occupation, there would be a "moral obligation" to 
assist Burma's democracy movement. "We will try to help Aung San Suu Kyi, 
whom we admire and who has inspired us...it is a question of feeling the 
same suffering as the Burmese people," Gusmao said.

While Australia considers policy options in the case of Burma it is 
important to ensure that the views of the people of Burma are heard and 
respected.  As the National League for Democracy won 82% of the seats in 
election in 1990, they, the NLD, speak on behalf of the majority of the 
people of Burma.  The parliament of Burma has been denied the right to 
convene for 9 years.  For this reason the NLD have set up a committee to 
act on behalf of the parliament until the official parliament can be 
convened.  The NLD appeals to the world to recognise the committee as 
genuinely representative of the people of Burma.

Date:			Wednesday 22nd September
Place:			1 S 5, Parliament House, Canberra, ACT
Agenda:		4.00 Introduction, Senator Vicki Bourne, Host
4.05 Response by the Minister, Alexander Downer
4.10 Response by Shadow Minister, Laurie Brereton
 		4.15 Comments by Dr Myint Cho, Burma Office, Sydney
		4.20 Screening Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
	4.30 Press Conference, with Speakers and U Tin Tut, NLD Elect

Media Information: Amanda Zappia, (02) 6297 4801,
Media Spokesperson: Dr Myint Cho, (02) 6297 4801

Working on behalf of the:
National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB)
Federation of Trade Unions, Burma (FTUB)
Australia Burma Council (ABC)

PO Box 2024, Queanbeyan, NSW 2620
Tel: (612) 6297 7734	Fax: (612) 6297 7773