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Australia-Melbourne: "11th annivers



Subject: Australia-Melbourne: "11th anniversary of 8888"

"11th anniversary of 8888, pro-democracy movement in Burma in 1988"

(Australia, Melbourne)

On August 8, 1999, more than one hundred Burmese and their supporters staged
a public rally outside the Victoria State Parliament House in Melbourne to
commemorate the 11th anniversary of the nationwide general uprising to end
military rule in Burma. The rally was part of actions worldwide to
commemorate the August 8, 1988 uprising in Burma in which thousands of
Burmese people were killed by the military dictatorship.

In the morning of 8 August 1999, nine Burmese students, now living in
Melbourne donated blood at the Red Cross Blood Bank to mark the 11th
anniversary of the 1988 nationwide general uprising against the military
dictatorship in Burma and to honour the people who sacrificed their lives
during the uprising on 8 August 1988. The blood donation was followed by
public rally outside the Victoria parliament at 12:00 noon.

In the 11th anniversary of 8888, a student activist gave a speech about the
history of 8888 General Uprising in Burma in 1988. While two students were
laying a wreath on the ground, the participants saluted and took 1 minute
silence in honour of those fallen in the struggle for the restoration of
democracy in Burma.

One of the students read a joint-statement on 11th anniversary of 8888
released by Burmese community including All Burma Students? Democratic Front
(Australia branch), All Burma Students? Democratic Organisation (ABSDO)
Australia, National League for Democracy (Librated Area) Australia, Burmese
Writers & Journalists Association (Australia), Burmese Women Union in
Australia, Burma Support Group (Melbourne, Australia), Australia Burma
Society, Committee for Restoration Democracy in Burma (VIC) and Karen Youths
Organisation (VIC).

Guest speakers at the rally were Mr Peter Newgent - Chairman of Policy
Committee (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade), Senator Barney Cooney,
Mr Garry Woodard ? a former Ambassador to Burma, President of International
Society of Human Rights, Ms Carolyn Gradon ? Amnesty International, Mr Alan
Patience ? Asia Study and Global Politics (Victoria University) and Mr Alan
Matheson from ACTU. One of the blood donors also gave a speech about the
donation of blood to honour the people who sacrificed their lives during the
uprising on 8 August 1988.

After Burmese students presented a reenactment of the peaceful demonstration
and military crackdown in Burma in 1988, Ms Julia, an Australian, played a
keyboard and sing a song ?Free Burma?.

Participants were shouting the slogans against the Burmese military regime
and singing the revolutionary songs. Finally the 11th anniversary of 8888
was successfully finished at 2:00pm.