Sydney Uni supports CRPP

[maungt@xxxxxxxxxx]

Comrades,
Here are two letters. One is to the CRPP, and one is to the NSW Parliament.
In solidarity,
Luke Whitington
President, 71st SRC

Committee Representing the People's Parliament
C/O All Burma Students Democratic Organisation
1A Vaughan St
Lidcombe NSW 2141
Dear Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and members of the CRPP,
I write on behalf of the undergraduate students of the University of Sydney
to express our solidarity with you in your struggle against violence and
oppression in Burma. We recognise the CRPP as the legitimate highest
authority of Burma and your right to convene the Burmese Parliament. We
support your call for an end to diplomatic and economic ties with the
illegal and illegitimate SPDC regime, and for the release of all political
prisoners, including student leader Min Ko Naing and the members-elect of
the Burmese Parliament, and the observance of human rights and political
freedom in Burma
I attach a letter to the Premier of NSW and are intending to pass on similar
letters to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Prime Minister, the Leader
of the Federal Opposition, the Premiers of Australia's states and other
Australian political parties.
I look forward to further co-operation between the students at Sydney
University, Australia's oldest University, and the people of Burma. I hope
to celebrate a free and democratic Burma with you, when the time is
appropriate for you to visit us here.
In solidarity,

Luke Whitington,
President, 71st SRC

The Premier of NSW
The Hon Bob Carr MP
C/o Parliament House
Macquarie St Sydney

Dear Premier,
The University of Sydney Students' Representative Council (SU SRC),
representing the undergraduate students at Sydney, urges your Government and
the other members of the NSW State Parliament to unequivocally support the
struggle for human rights and democracy in Burma.
Australia's position of 'neither encouraging or discouraging' trade with
Burma is in direct contradiction to the wishes of the leaders of the
democracy struggle, as expressed through the Committee Representing the
People's Parliament (CRPP). It is an act of cowardice for Australian
democratic Governments to ignore the plight of the people of Burma. When the
state legislature of Massachusetts has voted to boycott business with Burma,
British Columbia has recognised the CRPP as the highest Burmese authority
entitled to convene the Parliament elected in 1990 and called for the regime
to enter dialogue with the CRPP, and the European Union has recognised the
CRPP along with Belgium and Denmark, Australia's Governments seem lethargic
at best and uncaring at worst.
To this end the SU SRC asks you to support the democracy movement's calls
for supporters and Governments to
a) Recognise the CRPP as the highest legitimate authority in Burma and its
lawful right to convene the Burmese Parliament as per the 1990 general
election results
b) Impose economic sanctions on Burma
c) Adopt a selective purchasing policy that discriminates against companies
doing business with the Burmese military regime.
d) Urge the military regime to negotiate with the CRPP
e) Lobby for the release of political prisoners, including the 150 Members
of Parliament-elect, and the re-opening of the country's Universities, and
re-establishment of the Burmese student union.
In line with the recent resolutions of the Drugs Summit, your Government
could take a strong stand against the drug trade by boycotting Burma, as the
military regime gives tacit approval to the drug lords and the drug trade.
We also believe that the AUSTRADE Office in Rangoon should be closed, as it
is a reminder to the Burmese people of our support for the military regime,
and therefore for the human rights abuses which occur under that regime.
The impact that you could have on this situation is enormous. By ensuring
the NSW Government's support for moves to boycott Burma and recognise it's
democratically elected representatives, your Government could alert the
other states, particularly Tasmania and Queensland the mass media and
general population of the plight of the Burmese people. You could also bring
to light the special relationship between the misery seen on our streets
through drugs, and the misery of forced labour, human rights abuses and
illegal imprisonment in their country.
With your stunning election victory, and the success of the drugs summit
behind you, we believe that you can win this fight for human rights now, and
indeed that as the leader of the largest state, you should.
Yours sincerely,
Luke Whitington
President, 71st SRC