Australia: stop supporting the Myanmar military

by Admin, 22 Aug

Amnesty International (Australia) jointly with the Australian Rohingya community and members of the Australian Parliament including Trade Unionist MP Ged Kearney, and MPs who visited Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, 
calling on- ‘Australian government to stop supporting the Myanmar military.

Date: TODAY: Wednesday 22 August

Time: 8.50am (for 9.00am start) to 9.20am

Place: Lawns, Federation Mall, Australian Parliament House, Canberra.

• Amnesty International, the Australian Rohingya community and members of the Australian Parliament call on the Australian Government to stop all training and support to the Myanmar military as it commits crimes against humanity against the Rohingya people

• Visual opportunity: Australia gives ‘blood money’ to the Myanmar military

On Wednesday, one year on from the onset of the current Rohingya crisis and coinciding with Eid, Amnesty International is hosting a press conference and visual opportunity on the lawns opposite Federal Parliament House in Canberra. The Australian Government must cease training and support of the Myanmar military (the Tatmadaw) as it carries out ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya people.

The Australian Government must cut Australia’s training support to the Tatmadaw: $398,000 was allocated in the ‘17/18 Budget.

Speakers:

• Diana Sayed, Crisis Campaigner at Amnesty International Australia
• Habiburahman, founder and spokesperson for the Australian Burmese Rohingya Organisation (www.abro.org.au) and Secretary of the international Rohingya organisation Arakan Rohingya National Assembly, based in the UK.
• Senator Murray Watt (ALP)
• Andrew Wilkie MP (crossbench)
• Senator Peter Whish-Wilson (Greens)

“The explosion of violence – including murder, rape, torture, burning and forced starvation – perpetrated by Myanmar’s security forces in villages across northern Rakhine State was not the action of rogue soldiers or units. There is a mountain of evidence that this was part of a highly orchestrated, systematic attack on the Rohingya population. That Australian taxpayers’ money is going to support the perpetrators is unthinkable” - Diana Sayed

Also read reports:
Amnesty International Australia
 https://www.sbs.com.au/ne…/rohingya-protesters-target-dutton

Rohingya Information Session at Ilim College

by Admin, 16 Aug

The event is organized for educational purposes and joined by Ilim college's teachers and students

(9-11am) at Ilim college, 30 Inverloch Crescent, Dallas.

Note: some photos of students participation are voided for privacy concerns.

Australian parliamentarians visit Rohingya camps

Source Dhakatribune, 13 Aug

• 13th, 2018

A group of Australian parliamentarians visited the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh between August 6 and 9 and observed the humanitarian response to the crisis Courtesy

The delegation was highly appreciative of the Bangladesh government and its ongoing efforts to support the Rohingya refugees

Seven Australian parliamentarians visited the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar from August 6 to 9 to observe the humanitarian response to the crisis.

This visit was arranged as part of the Australian Aid and Parliament Project, an initiative of Save The Children Australia, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, according to a media release issued on Sunday, reports BSS.

The Australian Aid and Parliament Project provides parliamentarians with a direct experience of aid programming, allowing them to see for themselves the effectiveness, benefits and positive impacts of its aid program and humanitarian response in Bangladesh.

The delegation visited a range of projects supported by Australian Aid, including a Care Women Friendly Space, Plan Temporary Learning Centre, Oxfam WASH facility and World Food Program food distribution point.

The delegation also visited Brac’s Community Empowerment Program to learn how the Rohingya crisis is affecting the host community in Cox’s Bazar.

During the visit, Australian MP Luke Howarth said: “It’s important to know that Australian aid is being invested well.”

The delegation was highly appreciative of the Bangladesh government and its ongoing efforts to support the Rohingya refugees.

Commenting on the humanitarian community’s response, Australia’s opposition representative MP Shayne Neumann said: “They’re undertaking efforts in incredibly difficult and challenging circumstances and I’m thankful for the opportunity to see their commitment to helping those in need.”

The Australian government is committed to working side by side with Bangladesh to support those in need and has provided AUD70 million for protection and medical services – particularly for vulnerable women and girls, shelter for Rohingya people and support to the host community since September 2017.