Over 300 Australian women express support for Suu Kyi

Credit: by Salai Pi Pi, October 27, 2009.

New Delhi (Mizzima) - Over 300 Australian women, including the wife of the country’s Prime Minister and those of Opposition leaders, assembled outside the Opera House in Sydney on Tuesday to express their support for Burma’s democracy movement led by Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

With support from Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Federal Member of Page, Janelle Anne Saffin organized the show of solidarity under the banner of ‘Gather for Democracy, Stand for Freedom’, which brought together Australian women in support of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Saffin said the event was organised “In order to strengthen support and solidarity for Aung San Suu Kyi, who leads the struggle for freedom and democracy in Burma.”

“It was to show support of the Australian community and all levels of society including the highest level with the wife of the Australian PM and those of opposition leaders.”

Along with the Prime Minister’s wife Rein and Federal Opposition leader’s wife Turnbull, several Australian women ranging from well-known authors to high school students and Australian-Burmese women activists, joined the event.

“They spoke about Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi and how the people are suffering,” Joel Betts, director of Won Group told Mizzima on Tuesday.

Betts said the event is also a response to Aung San Suu Kyi’s request to Janelle Saffin, which the Burmese Nobel Peace Laureate made during a rare meeting with Saffin in Burma in 2002.

Saffin said, during her meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese pro-democracy leader had requested “Please use your liberty to help promote ours.”

“We have gathered here to show our support and admiration for a truly courageous woman and for the struggle of the people who deserve the right to determine their own future and choose their own leaders,” Rein, the Australian Prime Minister’s wife said.

Janelle Saffin recently introduced a Private Members Motion at the Federal Parliament, giving Members of Parliament the opportunity to debate on the ongoing human rights and humanitarian crisis in Burma.

In October 2007, Australia imposed targeted sanctions including an arms embargo on the Burmese regime and also imposed restrictions on financial transactions and travel to Australia by members of the Burmese junta and their associates.

Saffin urged the Australian government to continue providing greater humanitarian assistance in order to help the Burmese people, while maintaining sanctions on the regime.

“The [Australian] government should also continue to work with the U.S, Canada and talk with ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations], Japan and China to help the people in Burma,” she added.