Sydney rally marks Burma uprising

(AAP) Hundreds of people have marched through Sydney and Perth to mark the anniversary of last year's Saffron Revolution in Burma in which 31 people were killed and 3,000 arrested.

The revolution occurred when Burma's military rulers cracked down on thousands of
monks, nuns and citizens protesting against the country's dictatorship.
"Seven hundred people involved in the protests, including 176 monks and 10 nuns,
remain in custody with at least 80 unaccounted for," Burma Campaign Australia
spokesman Myint Cho said.
"At least 18 detainees including nine monks have died in custody due to poor
conditions and harsh interrogations," he said.
Major rallies were held in Sydney and Perth to mark the anniversary of the
revolution and call on the Australian government to help release those detained in
Burma.
NSW Greens MP John Kaye, who took part in the Sydney event, said "one year on the
world must not turn its back on the plight of the Burmese.
"The anniversary commemorations today refocus the world's attention onto the need to
maintain the pressure on the military dictatorship.
"The democratic spirit of the Burmese people remains unbroken. With the
international community's help, the country can once again be free," Dr Kaye said in
a statement.
This week saw the release of seven political prisoners in Burma but Mr Cho labelled
the move as "window dressing".
"One of those released, an outspoken former army captain, was re-arrested within
hours of being released," he said.
"The release was just another window dressing exercise to ease international pressure.
"Regardless of the release, 2,013 political prisoners remain behind bars in Burma
today and we are calling on the Australian government to lobby the Burmese regime
for their release."