Celebrity urges to stop police training

No.07 - 11/2007
12 November 2007
Dispatches

Celebrity urges to stop police training

_{By: Sai Awn Tai}

Australian TV Channel Ten celebrity, James Mathison leads a mass protest rally to urge Australian government to stop the police and intelligence training program in Burma.

Australian Idol Host, Mathison with the support of Sydney Burma Network, organises a protest rally at Sydney’s Town Hall after he saw the bloody crackdown occurred in Burma in September.
Mathison leads an estimated 500 protesters, wearing red T-shirts and they march around Sydney’s Central Business District areas, holding various placards of monks and Aung San Suu Kyi.

A personal connection with Burma has created significance for Mathison “The violence used against monks and peaceful demonstrators was terrible. It made me become involved in the Burma campaign. Things have to change,” said Mathison.

_{James Mathison}

Mathison’s grandmothers’ family were in Burma in 1962 when the military coup took place by General Ne Win. They fled the country with fear of persecution and they left Burma with nothing. “Sadly, 45 years later the military is still in power and things have gone from bad to worse”, he said.

Mathison has a serious concern on Australian government policy on Burma. He says the Burma issue has to be a matter of Australia in term of Australian history as Asian region. Australia needs be a leader in term of human rights and democracy issue in Burma.

It is unacceptable that the Australian government is involving in the mass human rights violation in Burma by assisting the military junta the police training program, said Jenny Leong, Greens candidate for Sydney. 


The recent brutal crackdown by the military junta shows that the Australian government counter terrorism program in Burma has failed to improve Burma condition. Several Burmese military’s police officers and intelligent members have been involved in the bloody crackdown on the peaceful protesters, she said.

The Greens will continue to support for peace and democracy in Burma she added.

We welcome the Australian government’s recent decision on financial sanctions of senior military officials and their families but Australian government need to do more for the human rights and democracy in Burma, they need to put immediate stop to the police and intelligent training in Burma, said Dr. Myint Cho, spokesperson from Sydney Burma Network.

“This is my first experience in Burma campaign. I will learn more about Burma and will continue to raise awareness with my capacity on TV and publicity to Australian public. Australians need to stand for the people of Burma who don’t have freedom in their own country. I hope my small involvement will help Burma change,” said James Mathison.