AAP_27.5.96: BURMESE STUDENTS IN AU

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Subject: AAP_27.5.96: BURMESE STUDENTS IN AUSTRALIA PROTEST.

	VIC: STUDENTS CALL FOR TOUGH ACTION AGAINST BURMESE REGIME
BURMA STUDENTS (MELBOURNE)
   A group of Burmese students has called on the Australian 
government to take a tougher stand against Burma's ruling regime.
	   They're urging Canberra to implement trade sanctions against 
Burma and to help bring about an international arms embargo against 
the ruling military junta.
	   A protest march from Melbourne's city square to the steps of 
Parliament House has heard the All-Burma Students' Democratic 
Organisation's anger at the recent arrest of 261 elected 
representatives of Burma's opposition party.
	   A spokesman for the group says they welcome the Australian 
government's decision to award the Companion of the Order of 
Australia to Burma's opposition leader AUNG SAN SUU KYI.
	   He says the award's a reminder of the sacrifice of opposition 
leaders in Burma and called on the Australian government to close 
the Austrade office in the Burmese capital.
	   AAP RTV vtb/er/ng/sb

	DOWNER EXPRESSES BURMA CONCERN
BURMA AUST (CANBERRA)
   Federal parliament has been told that Australia's conveyed its 
deep concern to Burma's military rulers over the arrests of 260 
National League for Democracy representatives.
	   Foreign Minister ALEXANDER DOWNER says the Australian Embassy in 
Rangoon has conveyed the government's concern and is continuing to 
monitor developments, noting that the NLD conference is going 
ahead.
	   Mr DOWNER's defended the government's policy towards Burma, 
saying it's continuing the approach developed by the previous 
government of granting aid only through non-government 
organisations and neither encouraging or discouraging trade.
	   Earlier, demonstrators in Canberra and Melbourne urged the 
government to take a tougher stand, including trade sanctions and 
support for an international arms embargo.
	   AAP RTV mgl/jg/bc/sb

	FED: BURMA RALLY CALLS FOR SANCTIONS
BURMA AUST (CANBERRA)
   A protest rally outside the Burmese embassy in Canberra is 
calling on the federal government to impose trade and economic 
sanctions on Burma.
	   More than 100 protesters are also calling on the government to 
close down the Austrade office in the Burmese capital Rangoon.
	   The protesters want the government to pressure the Burmese 
military regime to release all National League for Democracy 
representatives.
	   One man's been taken into police custody at the protest when he 
made a dash for the embassy gates.
	   Protesters burned and kicked an effigy of the Burmese military 
regime's General KHIN NYUNT and chanted behind banners reading Free 
Burma From Fear and Support SUU KYI.
	   AAP RTV sn/jg/dm/sb