Australian Quakers recently wrote to the Foreign Secretary Penny Wong regarding our concerns about human rights breaches in Myanmar. Below is an excerpt from the letter:
“Australian Quakers have long been concerned about human rights in Myanmar, last writing to you about this issue in September last year. Australian Quakers are involved in practical peace-building initiatives inside Myanmar and also advocating for stronger international action to support human rights and a return of Myanmar to a democracy.
We appreciate your statements of concern about the ongoing horrific suffering in Myanmar and Australia’s commitment to humanitarian assistance. However, it is nearly five years since the
junta overthrew the democratically elected government and began its reign of terror, and clearly more must be done to intervene in these horrific violations of international law. In fact, we note that China’s engagement in the past year has shifted the balance of power towards the junta, and the increasing violence of the junta is of deep concern to Quakers.
We note many reputable organisations are expressing deep concern about the junta’s planned elections beginning 28 December, widely referred to as “sham elections” (Special Advisory Council on Myanmar, International Crisis Group). We call on Australia to publicly repudiate these planned measures as not meeting the basic standards for free and fair elections.
We also join the calls for Australia to broaden sanctions against the junta, including State- owned enterprises, including the banking sector, and take a leadership role in establishing and implementing a ban on jet fuel exports to Myanmar…”
Image Courtesy of Union Aid Abroad APHEDA