Act now as Myanmar crisis goes ‘from worse to horrific’

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Act now as Myanmar crisis goes ‘from worse to horrific’

Act now as Myanmar crisis goes ‘from worse to horrific’

There are growing calls for Australia to do more to limit the Myanmar junta’s access to weapons and prosecute war criminals as human rights deteriorate in the Southeast Asian nation.

Families in Australia are calling for greater action off the back of proposals from United Nations special rapporteur on Myanmar Tom Andrews.

The military toppled Myanmar’s democratically elected government and ushered in years of systemic repression and human rights abuses.

The junta has killed more than 5600 civilians, put 20,000 political prisoners behind bars and displaced over 3.1 million people, Mr Andrews said.

These are more than just statistics for Tun Oo, who has a sister in Myanmar and expressed concern for the entire population under attack.

“There is not peace, we want them to sleep peacefully like we live in Australia,” he said at a protest outside China’s embassy in Canberra on Friday.

Patrick Cho, whose brother and sister live in Yangon, said he worried about his family every day.

“I believe Australia is always talking about playing a key role but … I’m not satisfied at all,” he said at the protest.

Mr Andrews is calling for Canberra to use its diplomatic clout to spearhead a stronger international response as human rights go from “bad to worse to horrific”.

“A course correction is imperative to avoid an even greater disaster,” he said.

He wants Australia to begin prosecuting key military figures using universal jurisdiction that applies to war crimes and raising such crimes with the International Criminal Court.

Mr Andrews acknowledged figures were unlikely to face jail in Australia, but it would help with accountability and shine a light on the plight of the Myanmar people.

He also called on Australia to expand its sanctions regime with academic and former Myanmar political prisoner Sean Turnell telling AAP that moves against key figures in the regime could prove effective.

Individual sanctions “avoid collateral damage and don’t inhibit genuine business in Myanmar”, he said.

“It sends a shot across their bows and makes them personally vulnerable.

“In the past, those individual sanctions are the ones that seem to have worked.”

Mr Andrews also asked for Australia to denounce the “sham” elections the junta was preparing to hold next year.

Australia was concerned that any election under the current circumstances wouldn’t be free or fair and “only prolong the violence and conflict”, a Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson told AAP.

“We continue to raise our deep concerns at the worsening situation in Myanmar with regional and international partners,” the spokesperson said.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressed concern about the loss of life and disrespect for human rights by the military in Myanmar.

She said she discussed the need to focus on the humanitarian crisis more when she met with Mr Andrews.

Australia is the largest aid donor, giving more than $860 million to Myanmar and Bangladesh, including funds for Rohingya refugees, since 2017.

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