Amnesty International accuses Australian PM of ‘softly
softly’ approach to humanitarian crisis
The Guardian
Malcolm Turnbull has encouraged Aung San Suu Kyi to
resettle displaced Rohingya but Amnesty International has criticised Australia
for adopting a “softly softly” approach on the humanitarian crisis during the
Myanmar leader’s visit.
“There’s nowhere to return to in a safe and dignified
way.”
On Monday the state counsellor of Myanmar met Turnbull in
Canberra for a bilateral meeting after the Association of South-East Asian
Nations meeting in Sydney.
Aung San Suu Kyi then unexpectedly pulled out of a
planned appearance at the Lowy Institute on Tuesday, citing illness.
Aid groups have welcomed the fact Aung San Suu Kyi
privately addressed the Rohingya crisis at a closed-door meeting of south-east
Asian leaders but her visit has prompted backlash including an attempted
private prosecution for crimes against humanity.
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The Australian prime minister had a detailed,
constructive meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi in which the pair discussed the
ongoing humanitarian crisis in Rakhine state.
Turnbull encouraged the state counsellor to reach a
resolution for the resettlement of the displaced people of the region.
Australia has provided aid to Myanmar and Bangladesh and
offered ongoing support to end the crisis and ensure displaced people can
return to their homes as quickly as possible.
Claire Mallinson, the national director at Amnesty
International Australia, said the Australian government should “show more
leadership”, particularly by cutting military ties and funding, as the US, UK,
European Union, France and Canada have done.
“We’re still giving assistance to the Myanmar military
despite all the evidence of ethnic cleansing,” she told Guardian Australia.
“It would be far better to shift that support and
resources to working with the government there to dismantle the apartheid
regime, which is why the Rohingya had to flee in the first place.”
Asked about Turnbull’s meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi,
Mallinson observed that it was “very difficult” to reach a settlement until the
United Nations had full access to investigate.
“Australia needs to be much stronger in condemning what’s
been happening – this softly softly approach they’ve been adopting clearly
isn’t working.”
Mallinson said Amnesty had released satellite imaging
showing that since January the “the Myanmar military – the very people who
burned villages, shot, raped and starved Rohingya – have in a matter of weeks
done a dramatic land grab”.
“They’ve started bulldozing down what is left of their
homes and places of worship, building military bases on those homes and
mosques.
Mallinson said it was “deeply disappointing” that Aung
San Suu Kyi had cancelled her appearance at the Lowy Institute, where there
would have been an opportunity to confront her about “dismantling the apartheid
regime” and the need to condemn the military.
Turnbull and Aung San Suu Kyi also discussed economic
development, education, overseas development, water management and research.