5/8/99 AAP NEWS:AUS RIGHTS COMMISSI (r)

[drunoo@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: 5/8/99 AAP NEWS:AUS RIGHTS COMMISSIONER'S VISIT.

BURMA-SIDOTI FED: AUSTRALIAN PROPOSALS TO IMPROVE HUMAN
RIGHTS IN BURMA 
DATE: 17:40 05-Aug-99 
FED: Australian proposals to improve human rights in Burma BURMA SIDOTI
(CARRIED EARLIER)

By Sonia Field

SYDNEY, Aug 5 AAP - Australian proposals aimed at improving human
rights in Burma, including  training for police, will be presented at
next month's Asia Pacific Forum, Human Rights Commissioner  Chris Sidoti
said today.

Mr Sidoti, who has just returned from a four-day trip to Burma, said
Burmese government officials  reacted positively to Australia's advances
on the issue of improving human rights.

But despite the warm reception in Rangoon, Mr Sidoti said only future
action by the Burmese  government would show whether or not it was
serious about improving human rights for the Burmese 

"The government of Myanmar is interested in exploring possible exchange
and cooperation for human  rights training for government officials and
the police," Mr Sidoti said.

"It is action rather than words that will prove or disprove the value
of this project."

The proposals include investigating the possibility of setting up an
independent human rights  commission in Burma, human rights training for
police, and ensuring adequate health for all Burmese  citizens through a
joint Burma-Australia health project.

But Burmese and Australian students today condemned the trip as
legitimising a brutal military regime.

NSW National Union of Students member Natasha Verco said that holding
discussions with the  Burmese government was "appalling".

"The use of the term government is quite illegitimate; it's a military
regime and surely the only way to  help the Burmese people is to stop
trading with Burma and enforce sanctions until they at least release 
all their political prisoners," Ms Verco said.

Mr Sidoti denied that talking to the government could be seen to be
validating a brutal regime.

"There are of course issues about lending credence to a regime whose
reputation in the human rights  area is not a good reputation but I must
say though again that my international status is not such that I  can

lend them much credibility by going there," he said.

"The government ... however illegitimate the process by which it
assumes power may be, is in a position  to do something about the human
rights of the people of Burma."

Mr Sidoti said he did not meet with the leader of the Burmese
opposition, Aung San Suu Kyi, to discuss  human rights abuses during his
trip, but met with her deputy Tin Hlaing to discuss Australia's 
proposals.

He said the issue of human rights violations did arise during the
course of his talks with the Burmese  government.

"I did not go and I have no authority to undertake an investigation
into human rights violation, but I  must say however that issues such as
human rights violations did arise naturally during the course of  my
discussions; but certainly it was not my role to undertake any
investigations."

AAP smf/sb/shb 

BURMA-SIDOTI ASIA: CAUTIOUS RESPONSE TO SIDOTI'S HUMAN
RIGHTS PROPOSALS 
DATE: 20:54 05-Aug-99 
ASIA: Cautious response to Sidoti's human rights proposals BURMA SIDOTI
NIGHTLEAD

By Ron Corben

BANGKOK, Aug 5 AAP - Diplomats and Burma human rights groups have given
cautious approval to  Australian proposals to improve Burma's human
rights but warn the plans may be used as propaganda  by the military
regime.

The proposals, which include steps towards setting up an independent
human rights commission, police  training and a joint Burma-Australia
health project, were announced by Australian human rights  commissioner,
Chris Sidoti.

Mr Sidoti set down the proposals in Sydney after a four-day visit to
Burma where he met with senior  officials as well as opposition leader,
Aung San Suu Kyi's deputy Tin Hlaing.

London-based Burma Campaign director, Yvette Mahon, said the main risk
was the possibility of the  Burmese junta "setting up the commission to
sop the critics as another propaganda tool,"

"(But) if its an independent commission and has the sanction of the NLD
(National League for  Democracy) we wouldn't object," Ms Mahon told AAP
by telephone.

She said she doubted that the commission would have independence. 

"I would be extremely surprised if any commission would be independent
and have a free rein," she said.

Ms Mahon said she would prefer that instead of the police being
trained, the junta's leading generals  should get the training.

"My concern is that it might be pure propaganda on the part of the
regime. I'd be very cynical about it.  We would have to see what the NLD
(opposition National League for Democracy) says before we  welcomed it,"
she said.

A Bangkok-based Burmese refugee aid worker, who asked not to be
identified, said that given the scale  of human rights abuses in Burma,
"it seems impossible" for the proposals to succeed.

A recent visit by a delegation from the European Union to Burma had
also discussed the country's  human rights situation.

"It is a good thing, at least there is some discussion. But you should
not read too much into (the  proposal) or be too dismissive," the aid
worker said. "It just seems impossible (the junta) could be  sincere
about it."


"The junta's backs are against the wall. I think people should keep
trying, so you shouldn't be too  dismissive," he said.

A Bangkok-based diplomat, with responsibilities covering Burma, said
there needed to be close  monitoring of the program.

AAP rec/hu
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