The Australian Greens have again urged the Rudd Government to heed unanimous support in the Senate for a global arms embargo on Burma, following the UN Secretary-General’s unsuccessful trip to Burma to secure commitments from the regime towards democracy.

Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon left Burma this week with promises from the country’s military junta that it would “consider” his proposals for fair elections in 2010 but no concrete commitments.

Greens Senator for Western Australia, Scott Ludlam, who initiated last month’s Senate motion for a global arms embargo on the regime, said the Rudd Government had run out of excuses to not join other countries in backing a global arms embargo on Burma.

“Now that the military regime in Burma has effectively thumbed its nose at Ban Ki Moon, Australia has no reason not to join European nations and the United States in supporting a global arms embargo on Burma,” Senator Ludlam said.

“As a nation, Australia can do more to support Aung San Suu Kyi’s fight for democracy.

“For one thing, Australian businesses should be stopped from providing income to the regime and making profits on the backs of the Burmese people.

“Secondly, the Australian Federal Police should not be training and engaging with the Burmese police as though the Burmese police are separate from the regime – when quite clearly, they are not.

“In addition, there is no moral justification in the world for allowing appalling abusers of human rights to buy weapons in the global market.

“We are failing in our moral duty as a nation if we do not step our efforts to restrict the Burmese military dictatorship from buying more weapons.”

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