Media Release (r)

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The 52nd anniversary Union Day of Burma




We, Burmese Community in Victoria, are please to inform that the 52nd
anniversary of the Union Day of Burma will be celebrated on 12th of
February 1999. To commemorate the anniversary, Union Day ceremony will be
held in the light of consolidating unity among the people of Burma.


Burmese people inside cannot possibility celebrate the anniversary with the
genuine spirit of the historic event of the Burma as the general populate
has been forced to or recruited by threat to participate in mass
demonstration under the name of National Solidarity and Development Council
(NSDC). Under such a brute force people of Burma could not exercised the
freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.


National unity nurtured by the People Conference had provided Burma a
concrete foundation in achieving independence form Britain in 1948. Also
the spirit of union is crucial in today's struggle for our "second
independence", the struggle for democracy and liberation from the military
dictatorship. Architecture of the national leader, Bogyoke Aung San and pay
historic agreement and Penlong Agreement where different ethnic
nationalities of Burma were seek independence. Burma was rule by British
coloniser over the period of century under the divided rule policy. Burma
proper and frontier areas will put under separate administration 

The ceremony participates by people of Burma composing of different ethnic
nationalities. First part of the ceremony will be participating of the
statements and letters from different organisations and speeches from
community groups. It would be followed by presentation of traditional
performances and dances as second part of ceremony. Burmese people inside
cannot possibility celebrate the anniversary with the genuine spirit of the
historic event of the Burma as the general populate has been forced to or
recruited by threat to participate in mass demonstration under the name of
National Solidarity and Development Council (NSDC). Under such a brute
force people of Burma could not exercised the freedom of expression and
freedom of assembly.









Media Release
Burmese Community to celebrate the union spirits


Burmese Community in Victoria will celebrate the 52nd anniversary of the
Union Day of Burma on 12th of February 1999. To commemorate the
anniversary, Union Day ceremony will be held in the light of consolidating

unity among the people of Burma.

National unity nurtured by the People Conference had provided Burma a
concrete foundation in achieving independence form Britain in 1948. Also
the spirit of union is crucial in today's struggle for our "second
independence", the struggle for democracy and liberation from the military
dictatorship.

Nyan Lynn Shwe, a student activist who left Burma after 1988 military coup
said " People in Burma can not celebrate true spirit of the Union Day under
the military regime as the State Peace and Development Council is abusing
mass populations by force to counteract democratic forces". 

Burmese people inside cannot possibility celebrate the anniversary with the
genuine spirit of the historic event of the Burma as the general populate
has been forced to or recruited by threat to participate in mass
demonstration under the name of National Solidarity and Development Council
(NSDC). Under such a brute force people of Burma could not exercised the
freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.

People of Burma composing of different ethnic nationalities will
participate the ceremony by proudly wearing their traditional costume.
First part of the ceremony will be presentation of the statements and
letters from different organisations and speeches from community groups. It
would be followed by presentation of traditional performances and dances as
second part of ceremony. 

Date        :     February 12, 1999
Time       :     6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m
Venue     :     St. Mark's Anglican Church
	         Corner Burke Rd. and Canterbury Rd. 
	         Camberwell

For further information please ring Nyan Lynn Shwe, Kyaw Soe Moe at 03
95461115 or 0411 261664.