Protest in Sydney ( updated)

[maungt@xxxxxxxxxx]

Reply-To: "Maung Maung Than" <@one.net.au>

Attention all Media / Chief of staff/ International   / Politics
Date 1st  December 1999
Re: Burmese Protest against Thai Government at  Consulate-General in Sydney
Pro-democracy activists, supporters and members of Burmese community in
Sydney will stage protest outside Thai Consulate-General in Sydney at No.
131 Macquarie Street at 12 Noon Thursday December 2, 1999,  to express
concern regarding the plight of Burmese workers, students and refugees in
Thailand.
 Over 60,000 workers have been rounded up and deported back to the hands of
brutal Burmese military regime. Among them thousands were sent to forced
labor, torture camps. Burmese worker activists reported that 15 women were
gang raped by Burmese army , four including three women were drown in the
border river. In the statement dated 12 November 1999, the legitimate
leadership of Burma, known as Committee Representing People's Parliament
CRPP has  appealed Thai government to treat these Burmese workers leniently
with due humanitarian considerations.
A number of Burmese political prisoners are being detained in Thai prisons ,
indefinitely . Over a thousand students are put in the concentration camp.
Recently, one student has been hospitalized at Rachburi Province Hospital
after camp authority opened fire in a peaceful protest. Barbed wire has been
set up around the camp that supposed to host the student political refugees.
The protest also will call for a halt to the current process to repatriate
over 100, 000 refugees currently residing at the border camps.
Protest will also call upon Thai government to review its policy of
'Constructive Engagement', which is largely supporting the military
dictatorship in Burma. This protest is organized by Free Burma Action
Committee( FBAC) ; a community based campaign group for a Free Burma. This
protest will be joined by Human rights groups, Trade Unions, Student Unions
in Australia.
Vanue: Date and Time
Thai Consulate - General
131 Macquarie Street Sydney
Thursday December 2 , 1999 . 12:00 Noon
Media  contact :Maung Maung Than on 0411337816 Fax 02 97378637