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Siege of the Burmese Embassy- On a



Subject: Re: Siege of the Burmese Embassy- On a Path of Destiny

Dawn Star wrote:
> 
> Dear Susan Locke, thank you for these words of guidance and insight.
> Fortunately in a multiparty system, the fruits of democracy are nutured
> by the spirit and force of the many. While these freedom fighters acted
> in a way that the NLD says is inconsistent with the stated non violent
> principles of the party, they did act in a constructive way to refrain
> from the senseless violence and bring us one day further ahead, and
> here, with support from the Thai government, ostensibly, towards a
> peaceful settlement in the future. Remember, when the democratic leaders
> of the world, have their hand on the atomic power that could annihilate
> all of us in an instant, how does it feel, now, that these heroes are
> free and everyone is safe, once again. The world will not be the same
> after this, and we can all thank them for that. There is a lesson to
> observe here, and not discount, that the freedom fighters can strike,
> and will strike when and if they feel they must, to let the whole world
> know, that non violence is the path, and that all of the world must come
> to terms with that, and get rid of this rotten relic of the past that
> is destroying the nation to benefit a few corrupt individuals in an with
> an army out of control terrorizing the people.
> 
> These men are fighters. They are fighting for your freedom and mine. And
> if they must defend themselves to defend freedom, so be it. Like the
> Thai negotiator said, these men were not terrorists. Nor were they
> desperate. They were brave and experienced. They want the same as you
> and me for Free Burma. But they are also realists, not passive idealists
> waiting for the great tower of Babel to fall. And it will, Daw Aung San
> Suu Kyi has said so. Let the flag fly in the Burmese Thai Embassy. The
> answer is there. They made their point. And it was a first-rate
> operation, unprecedented, bold, whether you approve of it or not.

And let me say this, Susan. These are the kind of men who are committed
to a cause, just as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is fiercely committed in her
will, and her father Bogyoke Aung San was committed in his will,
committed to a Free Burma. Bogyoke Aung San, founder of the Burmese
army. Its all right, Susan. These men are not waiting for you or me.
These men are on a path of destiny.  

As the great revolutionary songwriter Bob Dylan said, "it ain't no use
to sit and wonder why babe, if you don't know by now, it don't matter
any how, look out your window, but don't think twice, its all right".
> 
> Susan Locke wrote:
> >
> > Friends of the National League for Democracy
> > Austalia
> > PO Box 288, Enmore NSW 2042
> >
> > Media Release
> > October 2, 1999
> >
> > Vigorous Burmese Student Warriors siege of the
> > Burma Embassy
> >
> > The membership of the Friends of the National
> > League for Democracy Australia (FNLDA), a
> > pro-democracy group of Burmese and Australian
> > people working for the restoration of democracy
> > in Burma, are extremely distressed by the news
> > of the hostage situation at the Burma Embassy in
> > Bangkok, Thailand. Whilst the FNLDA does not
> > condone violence and dissociates itself from
> > acts of violence, members understand the
> > frustration that happens "when good men turn
> > their back on evil." The SPDC continues to
> > imprison, torture, terrorise and murder Burmese
> > people whilst the international community limits
> > itself to what amounts to non meaningful
> > requests to the SPDC to enter into dialogue with
> > the National League for Democracy.
> >
> > The Chair of the FNLDA, Susan Locke, today said
> > "The failure of people across the world to take
> > meaningful, non-violent action to enable the
> > lawfully elected National League for Democracy
> > to govern Burma is itself an act of violence
> > against the Burmese people. Violence cannot be
> > reduced to physical violence alone. Violence
> > happens every time we turn away from human
> > rights abuses and say that it is not our
> > problem. The experiences of East Timor, Bosnia,
> > Rwanda , Afghanistan to name only a few, have
> > taught us that violence does not lessen if we
> > turn away, rather it escalates and grows in
> > power and terror until people have no options
> > left except to turn to violence themselves."
> >
> > The FNLDA, an organisation based on the
> > non-violence philosophy of Aung San Suu Kyi,
> > believes that the failure of the international
> > community to support democracy in Burma through
> > meaningful political, economic and social
> > actions is a major factor in the hostage
> > situation. Since 1988 the Burmese pro-democracy
> > movement has sought, mostly without success, the
> > support of the international community to take
> > the strongest economic and political action
> > against the State Peace and Development Council
> > that unlawfully rules Burma. The SPDC has
> > refused since 1990 to allow the lawfully elected
> > National League for Democracy lead by Nobel
> > Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to take up
> > government.
> >
> > The SPDC has been condemned on an annual basis
> > by the United Nations. However, many governments
> > continue to engage politically and economically
> > with the SPDC. There is a growing list of
> > governments forming alliances with the SPDC, or
> > moving towards engagement with the regime. This
> > growing environment of engagement has been
> > criticised by Aung San Suu Kyi in a smuggled
> > videotape shown to the Australian Parliament
> > just two weeks ago. Aung San Suu Ky has appealed
> > in particular to Australian governments to
> > support the pro-democracy movement by taking
> > great care in dealings with the regime. The
> > recent visit to Burma of Chris Sidoti,
> > Australian Human Rights Commissioner, has been
> > used by the SPDC to support its rule of Burma.
> > In addition there is a long list of businesses,
> > both in Australia and overseas conduction
> > business with and within Burma with the call by
> > Aung San Suu Kyi for the imposition of economic
> > sanctions on Burma being largely ignored by the
> > international community.
> >
> > It is time for the international community and
> > Australia in particular to face what is
> > happening in Burma, and intervene diplomatically
> > and economically to enable democracy to become a
> > reality in Burma, before desperation about the
> > situation leads to further acts of desperation.
> >
> > The FNLDA calls on the Australia government to
> > seek the urgent intervention of the United
> > Nations in developing the appropriate strategies
> > needed to:
> >
> > · Secure the release of all political prisoners
> > in Burma
> > · Recognise the Committee Representing the
> > People's Parliament as the legitimate parliament
> > of Burma
> > · Remove all recognition and support for the
> > State Peace and Development Committee including
> > its place with the United Nations
> > · Establish a War Crimes Tribunal to investigate
> > the human rights abuses and murders of thousands
> > of Burmese civilians by the SPDC
> >
> > Contact:        Trevor Edmond           0418 635 990