Public Services International [ 20

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Public Services International
Internationale des Services Publics 
Intermacional de Servicios Publicos 
Internationale der Offentlichen Dlenste 
Internationalen for Stata- och Kommunalanistallda

FAX MESSAGE

	TO:	SENIOR GENERAL THAN SHWE
		PRIME MINISTER
		SPDC - RANGOON - THE UNION OF BURMA			
         	FAX:	00951. 1. 22. 950

SUBJECT:	CONTINUOUS DETENTION OF BURMESE TRADE UNION LEADERS

     FROM:	HANS ENGELBERTS
FILE REF:	231.02.01
      DATE:	22 July 1998

COPIES: 
Burmese Embassies (0041. 22. 738. 48. 82 and 01. 42. 56. 49. 41)
		ICFTU (00322.201.58.15  -- 203.07.56)
		FTUB (001.202.393.73.43)

NUMBER OF PAGES INCLUDING THIS COVER SHEET: 1

Dear Prime Minister,

Public Services International, representing some 20 million members in 514
affiliates in 137 countries is an officially recognized non-governmental
organization for the public sector within the international Labor
Organization and has consultative status with ESOSOC and observer status
with other UN bodies such as the UNCTAD and UNESCO. PSI remains extremely
concerned at the continuing detention of U Khin Kyaw and Myo Aung Thant,
leaders, respectively, of the Seafarers'  Union of Burma and of the All
Burma Petrol- Chemical Corporation Union both affiliated with the
Federation of Trade Unions- Burma (FTUB). U Myo Aung Thant was sentenced to
10 years in jail in addition to life imprisonment of high treason while U
Khin Kyaw is still being detained with trail. Their case has been reported
last year by the ICFTU to the United Nations Commission on Human rights
Special Rapporteur on Torture after receiving credible evidence that the
two union official is has been tortured and ill-treated detention.

PSI is also extremely concerned at repeated threats by governmental sources
again the leader of the National League for Democracy, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
and other senior NLD officials. We strongly support the NLD leaders call
for the convening next August 21 of the Parliament, which was
democratically  elected in 1990.

PSI calls for the unconditional release of U Myo Aung Thant, U Khin Kyaw
and their families as well as all other trade union or pro-democracy
activists currently detained in Burma and the immediate cessation of all
acts of intimidation threats and house arrest against Burma's democracy and
labour rights activists.

Yours Sincerely,


HANS ENGELBERTS
General Secretary