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BURMA HUMAN-RIGHTS ADVICE

	BRUNEI: Having released Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's 
military Government should resolve problems such as human rights before 
being fully accepted by the international community, the United States 
and Australia said yesterday.
	
	The comments by US Secretary of State Warren Christopher and 
Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Gareth Evans contrasted with a 
conciliatory statement by Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas.

( The Canberra Times on 03 August 1995 Page 8, Austrlia.)
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BURMA STILL HAS 'LONG WAY TO GO'

(By IAN McPHEDRAN, Foreign Affairs Reporter)

	The Federal Government has reacted cautiously to the release of 
Burma's Nobel Peace Prize winning pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi 
after six years of house arrest.
	
	The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Gareth Evans said it was 
marvellous news from the point of view of Aung San Suu Kyi, but he warned 
there was a long way to go on a range of human-rights issues, 
constitutional reforms and reconciliation with minorities in the country.
	
	Senator Evans has been a strong advocate for change in Burma and 
the coordinator of the Australia Burma Council, Amanda Zappia, paid 
tribute to his efforts.

	She said international pressure had forced the Burmese miliatry 
junta to release Ms Suu Kyi. "She is not free. Nobody in Burma is free," 
Ms Zappia said.

	The Rangoon junta placed a news blackout on Ms Suu Kyi'release 
and local media did not carry a word of the story which spread by word of 
mouth. The Australian Council for Overseas Aid described the release as a 
crucial first step in the reconciliation of Burma.

	Amnesty International also welcomed the news and called for a new 
begining to improve Burma's human-rights record.

	Senator Evans said the release demonstrated a welcome willingness 
on the part of the military regime in Burma, known as State Law and Order 
Restoration Council, to observe at least some elements of the rule book.

	"This is not a self-fulfilling political process," he said. "A 
lot of other political prisoners remain to be released, there has to be a 
serious dialogue on the constitutional future of the country, there has 
to be a radical improvement in human rights and a genuine process of 
sustained reconciliation with the national minorities."

	Ms Zappia, who has worked for the Burmese pro-democracy movement 
since she returned from Rangoon in 1990, said the release of Aung San Suu 
Kyi was one small step on large ladder of human rights violations.

	"The SLORC must believe that releasing her will end their 
problems. It won't and because they kept her imprisoned for so long the 
world is now aware of all the other problems in the country," she said.

	"The ASEAN countries, which Burma has been playing to, will see 
this as a major step and it is up to the Australian Government to remind 
them that much more needs to be done in Burma."

	She also reminded the Government that a similar mood of hope 
prevailed during the 1990 election in Burma.

	"Look what happened after that. All it will take is for Suu Kyi 
to be arrested breaking one of their 'laws' and there could be more 
bloodshed," Ms Zappia said.

(THE CANBERRA TIMES on 12 July 1995 page 5, Australia.)

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