Share

Share this page:

image

BCA celebrates Australian Government commitment to global arms embargo against Burma

12 Aug 2009

Media Release from Burma Campaign Australia

Burma Campaign Australia congratulates the Australia Government for committing to support a global arms embargo against Burma for the first time today.

Defence Minister John Faulkner said in the Senate today “I can say that Australia supports these efforts to seek a UN Security Council mandated arms embargo on Burma. Australia agrees that arms should not be supplied to the Burmese regime, which of course has demonstrated its willingness to use force against the civilian population.”

Burma Campaign Australia spokesperson Dr Myint Cho said this is the first time Australia has committed to supporting a global arms embargo against Burma. 
“The Australian Government today has taken a significant step in bringing around real change in Burma and helping the people of Burma realise their democratic aspirations,” Dr Cho said.

“The government is backing their strong statements with real action.”
“Today Australia has shown their commitment to cutting Burma’s access to military weapons which are used on a daily basis against the people of Burma – we now need Australia to commit to cutting the regime’s financial lifelines.”

Dr Cho said the Australian Government needs to introduce targeted investment and trade sanctions against Burma in line with the EU and the US.

Yesterday Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s democracy leader, was sentenced to 18 months under house arrest.  She was charged with breaking the conditions of her illegal house arrest when John Yettaw, a US citizen, visited her compound without authorisation. 

Aung San Suu Kyi has spent off-and-on most of the past 20 years under house arrest. 

The Australian Senate on June 18th 2009 unanimously passed a motion calling on the Australian Government to support a global arms embargo. Burma Campaign Australia has been running an online letter writing campaign calling on Australia’s Foreign Minister to publicly support a global arms embargo.

Related news


image

The biggest Burma photo gallery on the web, including photos of Aung San Suu Kyi, the 2007 uprising, the crisis in Eastern Burma and Cyclone Nargis.

image

Last Month in Burma is a monthly email newsletter providing an overview of news from inside Burma and about the international campaign for human rights and democracy in Burma. Last Month in Parliament is the only monthly round-up of issues relating to Burma in the British Parliament and Europe.

You can download Last Month in Burma here.

Last Month in Burma is in PDF format. Download Acrobat here:

Subscribe now

You can receive Last Month in Burma via email every month for free. Simply send a blank email to (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to subscribe to the service.


The Burma Campaign UK works for Human Rights, Democracy and Development in Burma

The Burma Campaign UK, 28 Charles Square, London, N1 6HT. | Telephone: +44 (0)207 324 4710. | Get in touch

All materials on this website are provided under a Creative Commons License. For more details click here. | Identity and Design | Strategy and Build