Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee, , 19:22 to 26:15
Discussion focuses on the lack of legitimacy in the Myanmar elections, citing low voter turnout and the exclusion of opposition parties. Witnesses call for the Australian government to formally reject the election results and impose sanctions on the central bank.
Topics: Human rights, Trade policy
Speakers: Dr Tun Aung Shwe, Jessica Collins, Ellie Whiteaker, Hon Sarah Henderson, Unknown Speaker
Can you give us a sense please of uh the elections and uh how much of the eligible uh voting population actually voted in this current election recent election.
>> Yeah. So according to the very recent report from Altisan uh Altisan and then the data from Myamma the eligible voting population is 35 millions but only 12 millions participated in the uh elections the votes so only 32%.
>> Okay. And is that because of was that out of fear or uh was it because they were rejecting the premise of the
>> Actually they didn't recognize the the elections. So uh on 10 of DMA last year so my diaspora organizations and then the the the the activists in my mobilized the community across the country to join the silent strikes. So showing the people reject the the election. So on 10th of December the whole country was silent. No one on the streets a few people on the roads. So that show the mama people rejections on the the sham elections but on the day because of the some fears due to my mama military's uh election protection law and then other scrutinies process some people went to poll station and vote but
>> given Oh can I can I ask a clarifying question on the voting population. Is it compulsory to vote in Myanmar?
>> No.
>> No. >> So given that given such low numbers of the population actually voted, has the uh the government uh recognized this election as legitimate still?
>> No, not at all. Because many people went to police station including some of my relatives in Yema because they fear that if they uh do not join the uh the uh do not uh do not go to do not go to P station they will be uh they were uh they will be arrested on some pressures from the local authority. That is why they went to the police station not their own will but because of fear.
Did they have an opportunity to vote for an opposition? Were there any uh opposition uh parties on the ballot
>> Actually, they do not have choice because of the the the opposition parties are already banded through the party registration laws in very early stage of the electoral process.
>> So, uh on polling day, they really had only the opportunity to vote for the incumbent for the government. Yes. Yes
correct. So the military backup uh political party USDP and the other military proxy parties of the myama military. >> So they do not have choice for the proper one
>> and has the Australian government recognized these elections as legitimate or have they voiced concern about the
government make a published statements on 1st February 2026 and they clearly mentioned that the the the election is not free and fair and didn't met minimum status of the uh the [clears throat] electoral principles and all so it's mean I do believe the Australian government does not recognize the
>> so so have they consider ceeded that they will not recognize the Myanmar government as being the legitimate government post the election or have they just said that it's not free and fair.
>> Uh in the statement it's mentioned that going to look at the upcoming uh authorities. So it's me Australian government going to look at the so-called uh parliaments and then the so-called elected government. So in my recom recommendation I requested Australian government not to legitimize the upcoming so-called elected government anyway uh and then the parliaments.
>> Yeah. And and just a a question on the central bank sanctions. Uh can you give me a sense of how uh widely supported or accepted that is within um the national unity government but also the broader population? I mean is there a sense that uh it will have a big impact on the economy or it's a necessary sanction to be able to bring this government to its knees?
National government fully support to sanctions against the central bank [snorts] of Myamma because according to our records the uh targeted economic sanctions against the foreign trade banks and then the other associate banks are very effective and then the mama military uh very struggles after getting the sessions. So now they are relying on the central bank and then other associate banks. So we don't think it will impact on the people of Myamma because Myamma people uh already suffer a lot and then they have no more to lose.
>> Well, I just want to thank you very much for your testimony and thank you for everything that you're doing for your country here in Australia. Uh they are very lucky to have you. Dr. Ano,
>> thank you so much.
>> Thank you very much, Senator Collins. Senator Whit Whitaker.
>> Thank you, Chair. Uh, thanks for making the time to be with us and to share your evidence. Um, I just was hoping you might be able to talk us through um the engagement that the national unity government currently has with the department of foreign affairs and trade.
Oh yes, actually uh the NUG foreign affair minister had a meeting with Senator Penuan in last year November and then very recently the the NUG foreign minister Zimma had a meeting with Australian ambassador to Myamma the ambassador Angela Kokuram last week. So we do have a regular engagement and regular catch up and updating the progress in my
>> Okay. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> That's it, Chad.
>> Oh, thank you very much, Senator Wica. Uh, Senator Smith, you've got a couple further questions.