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26-Sep-99 FNLD(Aus) Appeal to Austr



FORWARDED MESSAGE: (26/9/99)
FRIENDS OF NLD (AUSTRALIA) APPEAL TO AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS.
*********
Posted on BURMANET1 by Susan Locke (susanlocke@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
/* begin report */
Thank you to Amanda Zappia for posting a transcript on BurmaNet of Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi's message to the Australian Parliament. The Sydney
based Friends of NLD Australia have written to each of the Australian
state and territory parliaments as well as the Commonwealth Parliament
supporting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's request, and seeking parliamentary
leaders' support for her position. If you want to write too, you might
find the following list of Australian parliamentary leaders and their
contact details useful. I've included the NSW Olympics Minister, Michael
Knight, also given the Burma Out campaign.

Also at the end of the list is a form of a letter for people that might
want a bit of start on writing their own letters.

Susan Locke
Chair, Friends of NLD Australia
***********************
Parliamentary leaders in Australia

Australian Federal Government

The Hon. John Howard, M.P.
Prime Minister of Australia
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Fax: +61 2 6273 4100; +61 2 6277 7111
Tel +61 2 6277 7700
Email c/-: Anthony.Benscher@xxxxxxxxxx 

The Hon. Alexander Downer, M.P.
Australian Foreign Minister
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Fax: +61 2 6273 4112
Tel +61 2 6277 7500
Email: A.Downer.MP@xxxxxxxxxx 

The Hon. Margaret Reid
President of the Senate - Australia
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Email: senator.reid@xxxxxxxxxx 

New South Wales

The Hon Bob Carr, M.P. 
Premier of NSW
Level 40, Governor Macquarie Tower, 
1 Farrer Place, Sydney 2000 
Email: bob.carr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Hon. Michael Knight, M.P.
Minister for the Olympics
Level 34, Governor Macquarie Tower, 
1 Farrer Place, Sydney 2000 
Email: Knight@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Queensland

The Hon Peter Beattie, M.P
Premier of Queensland
PO Box 185
Brisbane Albert Street Qld 4002
Email :
http://www.thepremier.qld.gov.au/form.htm


Northern Territory

The Hon. Denis Burke
Chief Minister, Northern Territory
Parliament House
(GPO Box 3146)
Darwin, NT, 0801
Email: denis.burke@xxxxxxxxx


Western Australia

The Hon. Richard Court, M.P.
Premier of Western Australia
24th Floor, 197 St George's Terrace
Perth, Western Australia 6000
Email: wa-government@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
or use the contact form at :
http://www.premier.wa.gov.au/contact/index.html

South Australia

The Hon. John Olsen
Premier of South Australia
9th Floor
Terrace Towers
178 North Terrace
Adelaide, South Australia 5000
Fax: 61 8 8303 2283
Email:
http://www.ministers.sa.gov.au/premier/contact_us/contact.html


Victoria

(This one is a bit difficult because the results of the election in
Victoria mean that they are still trying to work out who will be
Premier; as of today it looks like it will be Steve Bracks)
 
The Hon. Jeff Kennett, M.P (or the Hon. Steve Bracks, M.P) Premier of
Victoria 1 Treasury Place,  Melbourne, 3002  Email
:http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/Feedback.nsf/Premiers+HTML+Comment
+Feedback+Graphic


Tasmania

The Hon. Jim Bacon, M.P.
Premier of Tasmania
Department of Premier and Cabinet
Ground Floor, Public Building
Franklin Square
(GPO Box 123B)
Hobart 
Tasmania 7001
Email: jim.bacon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 


Australian Capital Territory

The Hon. Kate Carnell, M.L.A
Chief Minister, A.C.T
Legislative Assembly
Civic Square, London Circt
Canberra 2600
Email:carnell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx


***************************

Dear {Prime Minister, Premier, Minister}

We have received a transcript of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's appeal to the
Australian people to take great care in dealings with the Burmese
military regime that governs Burma. I attach a copy of her statement to
this letter for your information should not be in receipt of that
transcript.

The immediate context of her statement is the visit of Mr Chris Sidoti,
the Australian Human Rights Commissioner, to Burma. The background
context appears to be an emerging policy in Australia of engagement with
the Burmese regime.

Burmese refugees in Australia can attest to the brutality of the Burmese
regime, and its wanton disregard for human rights. The role of the
regime in the drug trade out of Burma attests to its disregard of human
life on an international scale. Human rights organisations have provided
evidence of the massive scale of human right abuses. This is a regime
whose repressive and murderous activities have resulted in thousands of
lives lost, and thousands of lives displaced as people flee to refugee
camps on the Thai/Burma border. 

We support Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's plea for care in engaging in any
dealings with the regime. As she notes this is a delicate time in the
struggle for democracy in Burma. Any activity that implies even slightly
the legitimacy of the regime disturbs progress towards freedom for
Burma. 

We appeal to you as {Prime Minister, Premier, Minister, President, of
 ...} to support the appeal of Daw Aung Suu Kyi, the legitimate head of
state of Burma, and counsel your fellow government Ministers, Members of
Parliament and government officials to withdraw any support for the
Burmese regime, including support for participation of Burmese officials
in cultural, sporting, economic and educational activities in {Australia
 ... }.  

We also draw your attention to the growing international movement
seeking the banning of Burma from the Sydney 2000 Olympics, and would
appreciate information on the stand you will be taking in regard to
seeking the banning of Burma from those Games.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's appeal to Australians is one of particular
importance as Australia positions itself strategically within the
Asia/Pacific region. The appeal to protection of human rights and
support for the struggle for democracy in Burma is one that touches all
Australians as evidenced by the depth of support in Australia for the
East Timorese people.

We trust that you can give your support to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel
Peace Prize Laureate, and look forward to hearing from you regarding the
actions you will be taking to provide such support.

/* Endreport */

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