MEDIA RELEASE

17 July 2003

Australia Urged to Impose Sanctions and Visa Bans against Burma’s Military Junta

The Joint Action Committee for a Democratic Burma today calls on the Australian Government to impose sanctions, import bans and visa bans against Burma’s military junta and to bring the case of Burma to the UN Security Council.

“It is time now for Australia to reassess its policy on Burma and join the United States and the European Union. The recent arrest of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and leaders of the National League for Democracy clearly proves that Australia’s current policy of limited engagement is a failure,” said Dr Sann Aung, a minister in the exiled National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB).

Australia has deferred its controversial human rights workshops since the detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on 30 May following the savage premeditated mass killing by military-affiliated thugs of NLD members and their supporters who were on an organising tour in Upper Burma. More than 100 people are missing while some 70 people are reported to have been killed and some buried alive.

“It is clear that dialogue is dead, national reconciliation is dead and it is equally clear that we must adopt a new approach toward Burma and that new approach must include economic sanctions,” said US House of Representative Tom Lantos of California, senior Democrat on the International Relations Committee.

“The call by the international community for Burma’s military regime to enter into dialogue with democratic forces led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was ignored, and the military regime chose to attempt an assassination of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Tin Oo instead” Dr Sann Aung said.

General Aung San, the father of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and other leaders of Burma were assassinated on 19 July 1947. The assassination of the nation’s leaders and the consequences that followed ruined the stability and economic development of Burma and plunged the country into civil war and military dictatorial rule.

On 30 May, the military regime attempted to assassinate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all her supporters. They employed convicted criminals and state- affiliated thugs. Hope for a national reconciliation process is now in tatters and Burma is again heading towards utter devastation unless the international community intervenes.

At 1:00 PM on Saturday the 19th of July, 2003 the Burmese community in Australia will be holding a public rally outside the Burmese embassy in Yarralumla, Canberra, to demonstrate our outrage because of the evil actions of Burmese military regime while commemorating the 56th anniversary of Burma’s Martyrs’ Day. We will remember and honour those who have sacrificed their lives in the struggle for democracy in Burma.

For more information contact Dr Sann Aung 0414 13 95 48 / Maung Maung Myint 0415 11 06 83

JACDB is comprised of the following organisations ;

ABSDF-Australia Branch (All Burma Students’ Democratic Front); ABS L (All Burma Students’ League ); AKO (Australia Karen Organisation); AYBL (All Young Burmese League); BSG (Burma Support Group); CDB (Committee for Democracy in Burma); FNLD (Friends of National League for Democracy), NLD (L.A.) (National League for Democracy, Liberated Area Australia); Members of Parliament elected in 1990 elections and individuals