[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index
][Thread Index
]
Australian Senate, Statement by Sen
Subject: Australian Senate, Statement by Senator Vicki Bourne
Free Burma Coalition, Australia
[P R O O F]
Extract from the CURRENT SENATE
HANSARD Database
Date: 29 March 1999 (22:22)
Page: 3117
ADJOURNMENT
Aris, Dr Michael: Death
Senator BOURNE (New South Wales) (10.27 p.m.)--Tonight I want to talk
about the death of a hero. Dr Michael Aris was a humanitarian academic, a
Tibetan specialist and the husband of Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi.
Dr Aris passed away on Saturday, 27 March. His illness was brought to
international attention by the Burmese military regime's refusal to allow
Dr Aris to visit Daw Suu Kyi in Burma before he became too seriously ill to
travel. Dr Aris had been applying for a visa for the past three years, even
when he was not aware of his illness. In recent months, however, the
requests became urgent. Even when he was ill, he did not pressure Daw Suu
Kyi to leave Burma to visit him in Oxford because he respected and
supported the immense and unwavering responsibility which she has for her
country and its people.
The story of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Dr Michael Aris is one of
commitment, sacrifice, courage and love. They were married in 1972 and they
have two children, Alexander and Kim, both now in their 20s, and both cut
off from their mother for years because of the actions of the Burmese
military regime. These young men cannot visit their mother in Burma because
the military junta, the State Peace and Development Council, will not allow
them to. Daw Suu Kyi will not leave Burma because the SPDC has made
undertakings to her in the past about her freedom of movement but each time
has reneged on its promises. The SPDC now tell Suu Kyi that she may leave
Burma to attend her husband's funeral. She feels she cannot because she
would not be allowed to return. In this, as in so many things, the SPDC
cannot be trusted.
Dr Aris died on his 53rd birthday. It also happened to be the Myanmar
National Army Day--Tatmadaw Day--a day when the army parades its strength,
and did so with 6,000 troops taking to the streets in what has become an
annual part of the military's intimidation tactics. Ironically, the day was
originally called Resistance Day, and was meant to be a day of celebration
for the Burmese people to celebrate the struggle of the Burmese people
against Japanese occupation in World War Two. Now it serves to remind of
the struggle of the Burmese people against another kind of occupation--that
of their own military junta.
The opposition--the National League for Democracy--of which Daw Suu Kyi is
the leader issued a statement calling for unity and restoration of
democracy in Burma. In doing so, they are also pleading for the support of
the international community for their cause--the protection of human rights
and the restoration of democracy.
The military was also condemned by the national coalition government of
the Union of Burma, which comprises members of parliament who were driven
into exile after the military refused to honour the result of the 1990
national election which Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won in a
landslide victory. Australia is now home to several of those exiled members
of parliament.
We take our democracy so much for granted in this country that we just
cannot conceive of what it must be like to actually win government and
never be allowed to govern. More than that, just because you are a member
of the political party successful in an election, you are subject to
torture, imprisonment, arbitrary detention and persecution.
Daw Suu Kyi enjoys overwhelming support from the Burmese people, and from
the international community. She lives a restricted life of virtual house
arrest and has done for many years. The military have used many strategies
to attempt to force her to give up her struggle. Through all this, and for
the whole of their life together, Michael Aris was unfailingly
understanding and supportive of her.
International human rights groups, the President of the United States and
the United Nations Secretary-General have all condemned the military's
decision not to grant a visa to Dr Aris to enable him and his sons to visit
Suu Kyi. I am concerned, however, that the Australian government seems to
be wavering in its resolve to support Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the properly
elected government of Burma.
It concerns me that the minister recently criticised the European Union
for maintaining the policy prohibiting visits by Burmese military ministers
and also that Australia broke ranks with other Western nations by attending
a controversial narcotics conference held in Rangoon at ambassadorial
level, not just at the law enforcement level, as originally offered as
justification. I hope that the government is not weakening Australia's
position on Burma. I believe now is the time for it to clarify that policy.
Dr Aris last saw his wife in January 1996. After that, the Burmese SPDC
repeatedly denied him a visa, even when they knew he was dying. He was
reported to have been willing to die in Rangoon, if he could just have seen
his beloved Suu one more time. It is too late now for a husband and wife to
be united, but it is not too late for a mother to be reunited with her
sons. The SPDC should, of course, immediately grant visas to Alexander and
Kim Aris to visit their mother at this most tragic time for their family.
Michael was one of a group of distinguished scholars who focused on the
humanitarian aspects of Buddhism and the history of parts of South Asia. He
was the gentle scholar and she was the political activist. His great love
for his wife drew him into the role of her spokesman, and an unwavering
supporter of the rights of the Burmese people.
The situation in Burma is just as awful as that in Serbia. Australia must
look closely at our own actions in relation to Burma, and our own failure
to influence change there. We send our condolences to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
and her two sons, Alexander and Kim, and we hope that the SPDC can be
prevailed upon to at least allow them to be together at this very sad time.
Senate adjourned at 10.33 p.m.