Burma Human Rights Forum
Statement

Today is the 55th anniversary of “World Human Rights Day”; 151 member
countries of the United Nations declaration of Human Rights signed the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights.

The United Nations human right envoy to Burma, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, after a
visit to Burma in November this year, reported back to the UN

“the situation of human rights in Burma is serious.” “There has been a serious deterioration in political conditions in the country”. “There was no evidence of any basic freedoms in Burma at the start of what the government has described as a seven-step plan to national reconciliation”. "Prison is hell. It is unacceptable." "All the political prisoners must be released".

Within Burma today on a daily basis , people are conscripted into forced labor on
government projects, women are detained and tortured because of their peaceful
resistance to the military regime; children go without sufficient food, medical
treatment and education; ethnic monitories are persecuted; and over 1000 political prisoners suffer in Burmese jails.

We, Burmese community including Burmese political organizations, student
activists, ethnic communities, Australian human rights organizations, Nongovernment organizations and student unio ns in Australia, held a “Burma Human Rights Forum” at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in
Melbourne.

We demand that the Burmese military regime (SPDC - State Pace and Development Council):

· Unconditionally free Daw Aung San Su Kyi (Burmese democracy leader and
Noble peace prize laureate), Student Leader Min Ko Naing, and all political
prisoners in Burma.

· Respectfully adopt and practice the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
by stopping the political abuses, murder, torture, use of forced labor, use of
child soldiers, child abuses, and abuses of women.

· Establish an independent enquiry commission for investigation into May 30
2003 Depeyin Massacre, and make all findings public.

· Publish a time frame and key steps for movement to democratic and inclusive
people -elected government for Burma.

We urge the Australian Federal Government to:

· Completely cancel the Human Rights training arranged by the Human Rights
Commission of Australia, Foreign Affair Department.

· Fully support the pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Su Kyi and all
democracy groups inside Burma and overseas.

· Immediately stop recognizing the illegal Burmese Military Dictators as the
legitimate government of Burma.

We request the United Nations Secretary General to:

· fully implement the Burmese resolutions passed by successive sessions of
the United Nations General Assembly.

· Establish an independent enquiry commission for investigation into May 30
2003 Depeyin Massacre.

Burma Human Rights forum

Melbourne, Australia,

10 December 2003

Forum Participants:

· ISHR (International Society for Human Rights)

· Chin Human Rights Group (Australia)

· School of Social Science and Planning, (RMIT) University

· Monash Students Association (Clayton Campus. Monash University)

· MPU- Burma (Member of Parliament Union),

· Free Burma Collective ( Monash University )

· National League for Democracy (Librated Area) Australia branch

· National League for Democracy (Librated Area) South Korea branch

· All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF) Australia branch

· All Burma Students’ Democratic Organization (ABSDO) Australia

· Burma Hope Foundation (Australia)

· Karen Organizations

· Women of Burma Group Melbourne

· Australia Burma Society (ABS)

· Catholic Commission for Justice Development and Peace, Melbourne

· Indo China Refugee Association ICRA (Vic)

· Burmese activ ists & Supporters in Australia