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AUSTRALIA: THE INDEPENDENT DAY PROT



Subject: AUSTRALIA: THE INDEPENDENT DAY PROTESTS (4/1/96)

	POLICE INTERVENE AT BURMA EMBASSY PROTEST
BURMA AUST (CANBERRA)
   Police have intervened during a demonstration at the Burmese 
Embassy in Canberra today as rowdy protesters condemning the 
military regime in Burma clashed with visitors.
	   About 60 demonstrators attended the rally organised by the 
Australia Burma Council to mark the 48th anniversary of Burmese 
independence.
	   Their speeches against the State Law and Order Restoration 
Council were interspersed with shouts at guests arriving at the 
embassy apparently to attend a diplomatic function.
	   A handful of people approached a vehicle whose passengers wound 
down the windows to shout back, prompting several police to step 
between the car and the demonstrators.
	   AAP RTV kaw/jg/jn/jlw

	FED: AUST URGED TO TAKE STRONGER LINE AGAINST SLORC
BURMA AUST (CANBERRA)
   Australia has been urged to strengthen its opposition to the 
military government in Burma.
	   Australia's Burmese community has also called for trade boycotts 
and economic sanctions to force Burma's State Law and Order 
Restoration Council to leave office and restore democracy.
	   The community's also urged Australians to boycott the SLORC's 
tourism promotion, saying that visiting the country would encourage 
the regime and provide hard currency to support a defence force 
turned against Burmese citizens.
	   Australia Burma Council patron and former RSL national president 
WILLIAM KEYS has described the SLORC as a corrupt and brutal 
dictatorship, saying those who do business with it are dealing with 
criminals.
	   The calls were made at a rally at the Burmese embassy in 
Canberra today to mark the 48th anniversary of the country's 
independence.
	   AAP RTV kaw/jg/msk/jlw

/* added note: This AAP report appears to indicate the SLORC offensive 
against KNPP early January. Reporter seems to have mixed-up between the 
Karens and the KNPP. */

	ASIA: 32 KILLED IN RENEWED MYANMAR FIGHTING
MYANMAR KAREN (BANGKOK)
   At least 32 fighters people have been killed in fighting on the 
Thai-Burma border.
	   A report from the Thai border town of Mae Sot says 32 people 
from both sides have died and 60 are injured in renued fighting 
between Myanmarese troops and Karen ethnic minority forces.
	   Yangon's troops have been attacking bases of the Karen National 
Progressive Party in Kayah State bordering Thailand's since 
December 3.
	   The report says 19 Myanmarese soldiers have been killed and 52 
injured while the KNPP has lost 13 fighters, with eight injured.
	   RTV KYODO RTV sm/jlw