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Australia. Howard and Downer, Mute
Free Burma Coalition, Australia
30th March 1999
Media Release
Burma: Howard and Downer, Mute
The tragic death of Dr Michael Aris, husband of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
of Burma, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, has galvanised support from the
international community and evoked strong criticism of the military
dictatorship of Burma by numerous world leaders.
A statement of condolence issues by Bill Clinton, President of the United
States, said, "I want to reaffirm to Michael's family and to all the people
of Burma that the United States will keep working for the day when all who
have been separated and sent into exile by the denial of human rights in
Burma are reunited with their families, and when Burma is reunited with the
family of freedom". Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General, said he was grieved
by the passing of Dr Aris and dismayed that despite all efforts by the
international community, the couple were not able to meet during Dr Aris's
illness.
The United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary, Derek Fatchett was amongst the
first to publicly mourn the death of Michael Aris and expressed regret that
the military has failed to grant Dr Aris a visa to meet with his wife
before he died. Many other world leaders have spoken out. Why not
Australia??????
While it seems Australia may have been amongst the first countries to have
their Rangoon Representative ask the dictatorship of Burma to grant a visa
to Dr Aris, Alexander Downer, Foreign Minister and John Howard, Prime
Minister, have been embarrassingly conspicuous by their failure to publicly
offer condolences to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her sons, Alexander and Kim.
Vicki Bourne, Australian Democrats, Annette Ellis, Laurie Brereton and
Gareth Evans, Australian Labor Party, have all sought to support Aung San
Suu Kyi with media releases, Motions in the Senate and Statement in the
House and Senate. If not for this Australia would be, once again, out in
the cold in relation to their Burma policy.
The Australian Government can debate that policy on Burma is a complex
diplomatic problem and that pressure may not work but shame on them for not
taking the time to support one of the world's most honored and adored
democratic leaders in her time of sorrow and need.
The Australia Burma Council supports the call for Australian Government
sanctions against the most brutal military dictatorships in the world made
by ALPs Laurie Brereton, Shadow Foreign Affairs, and asks that senior
representatives of the Australian Government join the world in a public
display of support for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and condemnation of the
military dictatorship of Burma.