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UPDATE 07/03/21: The Australian Government has heard our calls and suspended its defence cooperation with Myanmar.  Now we need the government to lead the international call on multilateral targeted sanctions. Please keep putting pressure on the government at this crucial time - for the people of Myanmar.

The Myanmar military instigated a coup on 1 February - the day the first session of the newly-elected parliament was scheduled. A state of emergency has been declared under the authority of the Commander-in-Chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing

Political leaders, activists and human rights defenders have been arbitrarily detained, and threats of internet restrictions loom.

The military has taken years of international inaction as a quiet signal that they could oust the civilian government and embark on a spree of baseless arrests, without any real consequences. 

The international community, including Australia, must act now to avert the threat of a worsening human rights crisis in Myanmar.

Australia has maintained military, diplomatic and trade ties with Myanmar, including providing funding and training to its military. This while witnessing the Myanmar military-run an ethnic cleansing campaign against the Rohingya people - forcing almost 1 million to seek safety in Bangladesh, and those remaining in Myanmar continue to live in internment camps in apartheid conditions.

A UN Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar called for Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to be investigated and prosecuted for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. 

Pressure the Australian government to lead the international call for multilateral targeted sanctions against those responsible for crimes against all ethnic minorities including the Rohingya.

Sign the Petition

  Our Petition

 

The Honorable Marise Payne MP
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Dear Minister Payne,

I welcome the news of 7 March that the Australian government is suspending defence cooperation with the Myanmar military. However more needs to be done in light of the escalating crisis in Myanmar and I call on the Australian government to:

  • Call for multilateral targeted sanctions against Min Aung Hlaing and others responsible for atrocity crimes against all ethnic minorities including the Rohingya.
  • Support initiatives to bring those responsible to justice, including by Australia exercising universal jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute them, by supporting a UNSC referral to the International Criminal Court, and providing support to the new body established by the Human Rights Council to collect and preserve evidence of crimes for future prosecution.

Yours sincerely, 

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