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Sample letter re siege



The events surrounding the Bangkok Burmese
Embassy siege have been fast moving. I am really
appreciative of the continuing stream of
information on Burmanet from a whole range of
people that has helped me to stay up to date on
what is happening. People may wish to contact
government leaders re the siege. Here is a
sample letter that may provide some ideas. Also
you'll find a long list of people to write
to/email.

Yours in solidarity
Susan Locke
Chair
Friends of National League for Democracy
Australia

******************************************************
{President, Prime Minister, Premier, Minister,
etc}


Dear {President, Prime Minister, Premier,
Minister, etc?}

{We/I} call on you to support the Burmese
pro-democracy movement by condemning the
continued rule of the illegal Burmese State
Peace and Development Committee, and seeking
immediate action by the United Nations to secure
the rule of law in Burma   The United Nations
has contributed much towards achieving this
goal, however much more is needed as evidenced
by the events of October 1 and 2.

You were no doubt as distressed as {we/}
{were/was} to hear of the hostage situation at
the Burma Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand.  {We/I}
{are/am} thankful that due to the sensitive
handling of the siege by the Thai government
that the siege has ended without loss of life.

Whilst {we/I} do not condone violence and
dissociate {ourselves/myself} from acts of
violence, {we/I} understand the frustration that
happens "when good men turn their back on evil."
The SPDC continues to imprison, torture,
terrorise and murder Burmese people whilst the
international community limits itself to what
amounts to non meaningful requests to the SPDC
to enter into dialogue with the National League
for Democracy.

The failure of people across the world to take
meaningful, non-violent action to enable the
lawfully elected National League for Democracy
to govern Burma is itself an act of violence
against the Burmese people. Violence cannot be
reduced to physical violence alone. Violence
happens every time we turn away from human
rights abuses and say that it is not our
problem. The experiences of East Timor, Bosnia,
Rwanda , Afghanistan to name only a few, have
taught us that violence does not lessen if we
turn away, rather it escalates and grows in
power and terror until people have no options
left except to turn to violence themselves.

{We/I..} believe that the failure of the
international community to support democracy in
Burma through meaningful political, economic and
social actions is a major factor in the hostage
situation. Since 1988 the Burmese pro-democracy
movement has sought, mostly without success, the
support of the international community to take
the strongest economic and political action
against the State Peace and Development Council
that unlawfully rules Burma. The SPDC has
refused since 1990 to allow the lawfully elected
National League for Democracy lead by Nobel
Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to take up
government.

The SPDC has been condemned on an annual basis
by the United Nations. However, many governments
continue to engage politically and economically
with the SPDC. There is a growing list of
governments forming alliances with the SPDC, or
moving towards engagement with the regime. This
growing environment of engagement has been
criticised by Aung San Suu Kyi in a smuggled
videotape shown to the Australian Parliament
just two weeks ago. Aung San Suu Ky has appealed
in particular to Australian governments to
support the pro-democracy movement by taking
great care in dealings with the regime. The
recent visit to Burma of Chris Sidoti,
Australian Human Rights Commissioner, has been
used by the SPDC to support its rule of Burma.
In addition there is a long list of businesses,
both in Australia and overseas conducting
business with and within Burma with the call by
Aung San Suu Kyi for the imposition of economic
sanctions on Burma being largely ignored by the
international community.

It is time for the international community to
face what is happening in Burma, and intervene
diplomatically and economically to enable
democracy to become a reality in Burma, before
desperation about the situation leads to further
acts of desperation. The FNLDA seeks your urgent
attention to the development of the appropriate
strategies needed to:

· Secure the release of all political prisoners
in Burma
· Recognise the Committee Representing the
People's Parliament as the legitimate parliament
of Burma
· Remove all recognition and support for the
State Peace and Development Committee including
its place with the United Nations 
· Establish a War Crimes Tribunal to investigate
the human rights abuses and murders of thousands
of Burmese civilians by the SPDC

{We/I} look forward to your reply regarding
actions you will be taking to support the
restoration of law and democracy in Burma. The
Burmese people need your support. Please do not
fail them.

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

H.E. Rodolfo Certeza Severino, Jr.
ASEAN Secretary-General
70A Jl. Sisingamangaraja,
Jakarta 12110 
Indonesia 
Phone: (62-21) 726 2991, 724 3372 
Fax: (62-21) 739 8234, 724 3504 
Email: public@xxxxxxxxxxx

     Ms. Jennie George
     President
     Australian Council of Trade Unions
     North Wing, Trades Hall
     54 Victoria Street, 
     Carlton South, Victoria 3053 
     Phone: +61 3 9663 5266 
     Fax: +61 3 9663 8220

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

          The Hon. John Anderson, M.P. 
          Deputy Prime Minister 
          House of Representatives 
          Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 
          Phone: (02) 6277 7680 
          Fax: (02) 6273 4126 
          Email: John.Anderson.MP@xxxxxxxxxx 

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

         Mr Peter Nugent M.P. 
          Chairperson, Human Rights Sub
Committee 
          Joint Standing Committee, Foreign
Affairs Defence and Trade 
          The House of Representatives 
          Parliament House 
          Canberra ACT 2600 
          Email: Peter.Nugent.MP@xxxxxxxxxx 

          Senator Meg Lees 
          Parliamentary Leader, Australian
Democrats 
          Senator for South Australia 
          722 Anzac Highway, 
          Glenelg SA 5045 
          Phone: (02) 6277 3991 
          Fax: (02) 6277 3996 
          Email: Senator.Lees@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

          Senator Vicki Bourne 
          Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs
          ANZ McCaughan House, 
          56-70 Phillip Street, 
          Sydney NSW 2000 
          (GPO Box 36, Sydney NSW 2001) 
          Phone: (02) 9247 3377 (Sydney) or (02)
6277 3820 (Parliament House Office) 
          Fax: (02) 9247 9681 (Sydney) or (02)
6277 3815 (Parliament House Office) 
          Email: Senator.Bourne@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

          Senator Bob Brown 
          Australian Greens 
          Parliament House 
          Canberra ACT 
          Phone: 03 6234 1633 (Tasmania) or 1800
640 988 (Freecall from Tas) or 02 6277 3170
          (Canberra) 
          Fax : 03 6234 1577 (Tasmania) or 02
6277 3185 (Canberra) 
          Email: Senator.Brown@xxxxxxxxxx 

          The Hon. Kim Beazley MP 
          Leader of the Opposition 
          Parliament House 
          Canberra 2600 
          Phone: (02) 6277 4022 
          Fax: (02) 6277 8495 
          Email: Kim.Beazley.MP@xxxxxxxxxx 

          The Hon. Laurie Brereton MP 
          Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs 
          Parliament House 
          Phone: (02) 6277 4717 
          Fax: (02) 6277 8502 
          Email: Laurie.Brereton.MP@xxxxxxxxxx 

    Mr Chris Sidoti
     Human Rights Commissioner
     Human Rights and Equal Opportunity
Commission
     Level 8, Piccadilly Tower
     133 Castlereagh Street
     (GPO Box 5218)
     SYDNEY NSW 2000
     Phone: +61 2 9284 9600
     Fax: + 61 2 9284 9611
     Email: paffairs@xxxxxxxxxxxx 


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

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

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

          The Hon Peter Beattie, M.P 
          Premier of Queensland
          PO Box 185 
          Brisbane 4000
          Email : thepremier@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

          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 

          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 

          The Hon. Jeff Kennett, M.P
          Premier of Victoria 
          1 Treasury Place,
          Melbourne, Vic 3002
          Email: http://www.premier.vic.gov.au 

          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


Mr Jürgen Trumpf
Secretary-General
European Union
rue de la Loi,
175 / B-1048
Brussels
Phone: (32-2) 285 61 11
Fax: (32-2) 285 73 97 / 81
Email:public.relations@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 


Adama Dieng
Secretary-General
International Commission of Jurists
81A, avenue de Châtelaine - P.O. Box 216
CH-1219 CHATELAINE / GENEVA
Phone: (4122) 979 38 00
Fax: (+4122) 979 38 01 or 979 38 24
Email: dieng@xxxxxxx 


The Hon. Jenny Shipley, MP 
Prime Minister of New Zealand
Parliament House
Wellington
New Zealand
Email: prime.minister@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

The Hon. Don McKinnon, MP 
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Parliament House
Wellington
New Zealand
Email: foreign.affairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

H.E. Chuan Leekpai 
Prime Minister of Thailand
The Secretariat of the Prime Minister 
Government House, 
Phitsanulok Road 
Bangkok 10300 
Thailand 
Phone: 66-2-282-6543 
Fax: 66-2-282-8631 
E-mail: govspkmn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Royal Minister of Foreign Affairs 
Wang Saranram 
Bangkok 10200, 
Kingdom of Thailand 
Phone: 011 66 2 221 9171 
Fax: 011 66 2 225 6155 

United Kingdom

The Right Hon. Tony Blair MP, 
Prime Minister, United Kingdom
10 Downing Street, 
London SW1 United Kingdom 

The Right Hon. Robin Cook, MP
Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth
Affairs
King Charles Street, 
London SW1A 2AH, United Kingdom
Phone: 020 7270 1500 

The Honourable Kofi Annan
United Nations Secretary-General 
New York, NY 10017 USA 
Phone: +1 212 963 5012 
Fax: +1 212 963 2155 / 963 7055 
Email: ecu@xxxxxx 

Mrs Mary Robinson 
United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights OHCHR-UNOG CH 
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland 
Phone: (41 22) 9179000 
E-mail: webadmin.hchr@xxxxxxx 

Mr. Theo-Ben Gurirab 
President, 54th Session
United Nations General Assembly
135 East 36th Street 
New York N.Y.10016, U.S.A.
Fax:+1-212-685-1561 

President Bill Clinton
President of United States of America
White House 
Washington DC USA
Phone: +1 202 456 1414
Fax: +1 202 456 2461
Email: president@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Madeleine Albright
Secretary of State
Department of State,
Washington, DC, USA 20520
Phone: (202)647-5291 
Fax: 202-647-7120
Email:secretary@xxxxxxxxx 

Stanley Roth
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and
Pacific Affairs 
Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20520 USA
Phone: 202-647-4000
Email:publicaffairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx