Australia, Policy Doesn't a Human

[azappia@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: RE: Australia, Policy  Doesn't a Human Rights Commission done

throught the junta seem ... counter-productive.
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Australian Policy

Hi all,

I think we can all calm down for the time being.  I have been in touch with 
Foreign Affairs over the past few weeks and will meet with them next week.

Basically Australian Policy doesn't change.  Niether encourage or 
discourage trade, support to refugees and immigration program, ban on 
defence equipment and military cooperation and bilateral aid.  Aid would be 
the carrot, in the case of HRC, is my understanding.

HRC is not a new initiative. Downer floated the idea at ARF meetings last 
year and has apparently been working through Lyndal Maclean, Aus Ambo to 
Burma, to encourage the dictatorship to look at the proposal.  This year he 

sought and got permission from Win Aung to have Australia's Human Rights 
Commissioner Chris Sidoti, go to Burma for talks.

The Australian Human Rights Commission was set up in respect of the 
Declaration of Human Rights and I am assured that if a Commission is taken 
seriously, or set up at all, it will have the same Charter and respect. 
Meanwhile there are reports that Win Aung has reiterated his call, "no 
interferance", they will do it their way.  My guess is that this will not 
happen.

Pros, Cons and Considerations.

The HRC is a good idea if it is set up with consultation and approval of 
the NLD.
The Aus. Government assures me that the NLD has been consulted and Sidoti 
will meet with Tin Oo next week.
HRC, Indonesia has been "relatively" independant and unless Burma was the 
same it would not be recognised by the international community.
The risks, obviously, that the dictatorship sets the thing up, as yet 
another, propaganda tool.
I have some faith that Downer will not push for this or endorse it if it is 
not to be independant and have the support of the NLD.  I know he has 
publically said that Daw Suu is not likely to endorse it but that may be 
negatiable, depending on the modus opperandi.

Hope this clarifies things a little.  You can get back to me with any 
specific questions and I will attempt to answer them.

Love and all the best to all,

Amanda



Working on behalf of the:
National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB)
Federation of Trade Unions, Burma (FTUB)
Australia Burma Council (ABC)

PO Box 2024, Queanbeyan, NSW 2620
Tel: (612) 6297 7734	Fax: (612) 6297 7773

-----Original Message-----
>From:	McCracken, Philip (TAD) [SMTP:Philip.Mccracken@xxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent:	Saturday, 31 July 1999 2:37
To:	S.Wansai; SHAN; SCMP/Jonathan Fenby; Nation; Irrawaddy; FEER; 
Burmanews; Burma Issue; Burma Courier; Bangkok Post; Asiaweek
Cc:	SHRF; Zarni; Ye Myint; Victor Biak Lian; PD Burma Malaysia; PD Burma 
Japan; PD Burma; Nwe Aung; ncgub; G. Kinnock; Federation of Trade Unions- 
Burma (FTUB/WB); David Arnott; ctoik@xxxxxxxxxxx; Candien Karen Community; 
C F B; burmamtk@xxxxxxxxxxx; Burma-L at American University; Burma Office 
Australia; Burma Net-l @igc.apc.org; Burma Action Group -UK; Burma Action 
Group Ireland; B C N; Amanda Zappia
Subject:	Doesn't a Human Rights Commission done throught the junta seem ... 
counter-productive.

  A Human Rights Commission in Burma done through the Burmese military
!?!???  Does this sound counter-productive??  We need to send a message to
Amanda and her group in Australia to be sure he does this correctly with 
all
ethnic groups concerned and NOT just the military's decision.

             World: Asia-Pacific

             Australian rights commissioner to visit Burma



             Australian officials say the country's human rights
             commissioner, Chris Sidoti, will visit Burma next week.

             He will investigate the possibility of setting up Burma's
             first national human rights commission.

             The visit was agreed at talks on the sidelines of the
             ASEAN conference in Singapore last week.


             The Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer,
             described it as only the first step in an incremental
             process to improve Burma's human rights record.

             From the newsroom of the BBC World Service