19/10/07

A major rally to demand that the Australian government “stop its secret cooperation” with the Burmese Military Junta will be held in Sydney on November 15.

The rally organised by the Sydney based Joint Action Committee for Democracy in Burma (JACDB) will take place at Martin Place , Sydney.

JACDB co-ordinator, Dr Aye Kyaw told NewsDay they also want the Australian Government to pressure the Chinese Government and ASEAN countries to take action against Burma.

The committee is made up of representatives from Burmese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Lao, and Cambodian Sydney-based communities.

Also on the committee are representations of Australian political and social justice and organisations.

“We believe that the collective groups from different community and organizations will give full moral support to the people of Burma and push the Australian government to change its policy on Burma junta” said Dr. Aye Kyaw, who is also in charge of the Australia-based National League for Democracy Liberated Area (NLD-LA).

The NLD-LA is a party set up by the exiled members of NLD party, which won the general election in 1990 in Burma , under the leadership of the Noble Peace Prize-winner Aung San Suu Kyi who is currently under house arrest.

Last month in Burma there were at least 13 reported deaths as the Junta cracked down on monks and civilians who had taken to the streets to protest rising fuel prices – a hike of 500 per cent and deteriorating living standards.

Organisations like the JACDB say the Australian government has done little on Burma and is still supporting the military regime by training the regime’s officers in Australia and Indonesia.

Just recently the Manly Daily local newspapers revealed that five police officers from Burma had been trained at the Australian Institute of Police Management in Manly, Sydney over the past five years.

The recent crackdown in Burma shows that all the Australian government’s secret activities with the junta have failed to bring peace and democracy in Burma instead it has substantially increased on violence, bloodshed and torture to its innocent citizens.

“We urge the Australian government to stop its secret cooperation with the regime, they are killing the innocent people and the Australia government will be committed crime like the regime if they don’t stop training the regime’s officers. We believe that these officers have been involved in this mass killing” said Dr Aye Kyaw.

He says the Australia government has a great influence on China and ASEAN countries. Therefore, Australia should initiate a strong action to restore peace and democracy in Burma. Australia should take as strong a position as the US and European Union.

Instead Australia follows the position taken by some Asian countries who do not actively support human rights and democracy.

Before the federal election JACDB will lobby the Government and influential Australian organisations to press for an official change on Burma.

Meanwhile on this Sunday October 21, The National Council of Churches in Australia, in collaboration with Caritas Australia, has invited all faith communities to participate in a National Day of Prayer of Burma.

They have also called on people to write to the Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and the leader of the opposition Kevin Rudd requesting that the Australian Government immediately cease counter terrorism training with the Burmese police and military.

Caritas says that 20 Burmese police were among more than 70 from Burma who, during the past three years, have participated in a regional training program at the Australian-funded Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Co-operation in Indonesia.

The rally at Martin Place on November 15 is expected to attract at least 1000 people.

It has the support of the Australian Burma Council.