Hundreds expected at global 'Burma march' in Sydney

Sydney, Oct 6 (UNI) Hundreds of protesters will march through the city streets today to protest repression of pro-democracy monks and students in Myanmar, calling for urgent international action.

The peaceful protest is one of 26 happening around the world to mark the global day of demonstration against Myanmar's military junta which cracked down on demonstrating monks and civilians who called for an end to the regime.

Marches will also take place in Brisbane and Perth, The Age reported.

Ms Alison Tate from the Australian Burma Network said she was expecting hundreds to march in Melbourne's centre today but was hoping for thousands more to support it.

Ms Tate said the protest aimed to highlight the international concern towards the plight of Myanmarese people, including to the military regime in the southeast Asian nation.

Rally organisers were also calling on the Australian government and other United Nations member countries to take action.

Western powers circulated a draft proposal on Myanmar to the UN Security Council in New York yesterday that condemned repression by the junta and demanded it free political detainees and begin dialogue with the opposition.

''We feel it's upon the international community that the UN and all the governments who are members of the UN do their utmost to pressure the regime to ensure a peaceful transfer to democracy,'' Ms Tate said.

Protesters in Melbourne will scatter flowers in the Yarra River in memory of those killed in Myanmar, before marching along Swanston Street to the State Library of Victoria.

International concern has heightened over the past week as Myanmar's security forces cracked down on demonstrators.

The government said ten people were killed and nearly 2,100 arrested in last week's demonstrations but there are fears the death toll could be much higher, with hundreds of monks seized by the military.

UNI