26th July 2022

Over the weekend, four democracy activists in Myanmar were put to death by the military junta, including hip hop artist Phyo Zeya Thaw who had close ties to the diaspora community here in Australia, and protest leader Ko Jimmy. 

According to ABC News “the four men had been accused of helping militias fight the army that seized power in a coup last year and unleashed a bloody crackdown on its opponents.” They had been charged under so-called counter-terrorism laws.

Greens Senators Janet Rice and Jordon Steele-John have called on the Australian Government to immediately suspend all military ties with Myanmar, and impose targeted sanctions on General Min Aung Hlaing and others involved in yesterday’s coup.

The Australian Greens also urge the Myanmar military to respect democratic norms and immediately release Aung San Suu Kyi and others who have been unlawfully detained.

Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens Foreign Affairs spokesperson said:

Malcolm Turnbull urgently needs to show stronger leadership over the humanitarian disaster in Myanmar, Greens Immigration spokesperson Nick McKim says.

"This is the biggest refugee crisis in our region for decades, and Australia is failing to step up," Senator McKim said.

"Hundreds of thousands of men, women and children have been displaced, and the UN has described what is happening as ethnic cleansing."

"There is a range of obvious steps that Mr Turnbull could be taking but he is stubbornly refusing to show leadership."