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Burma's exiled PM calls for junta b
Subject: Burma's exiled PM calls for junta boycott
Burma's exiled PM calls junta boycott
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Burma's Prime Minister-in-exile, Dr Sein Win, yesterday called on
the Federal Government to spearhaed international protests against human
rights violations in Burma.
Dr Sein Win, (who heads the National Coalition Government of the
Union of Burma, joined about 200 protesters in Canberra yesterday at the
embassy of the Union of Myanmar to remember the 1988 democracy uprisings
in which more than 3000 died.
"What we would like to see is that Australia leads in human
rights and democracy," Dr Sein Win said.
"We appeal to the internation community not to invest in Burma at
this time."
Dr Sein Win's coalition acts as a de facto government outside
Burma, where power has been held by the State Law and Order Restoration
Council since it cancelled the 1990 election of the National League for
Democracy led by Ms Aung San Suu Kyi.
A cousin of Ms Suu Kyi, Dr Sein Win is due to meet the Minister
for Foreign Affairs, Mr Downer, and the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Fisher,
later this month to discuss Australia's stance on Burma's military regime.
A report released by Amnesty International this week claimed the
Burmese military was responsible for widespread human rights violations
against the country's ethnic minorities including summary executions,
torture and rape.
Earlier yesterday in a statement, Dr Sein Win - who is visiting
Australia from his base in the United States - urged a boycott of foreign
investment in Burma to force the generals to come to a settlement.
"Stop the investments. It is time to stop the suffering in
Burma," he said.
He would launch a campaign later this month to encourage a
boycott of companies in Australia that did business with the SLORC, he said.
[By Georgina Windsor, AAP, 9 August 1996]
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