Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee, , 2:10:03 to 2:21:38
The Myanmar Campaign Network and the ACTU detail the severe repression of trade unions and labor rights since the military coup. They call for coordinated international sanctions to restrict the military's access to foreign currency and equipment.
Topics: Human rights, Workplace relations
Speakers: Ko Saulsman, Nikhil Singh, Unknown Speaker, Hon Sarah Henderson, Caitlin McCaffrie
>> Thank you. I would now like to represent I would now like to welcome representatives from the Myanmar campaign network and the Australian Council for Trade Unions. I understand that information on parliamentary privilege and the protection of witnesses giving evidence to Senate committees has been provided to you uh for the Hansard record and I think everyone is appearing on a via video conference today. Uh could you please state your full names and the capacity in which you appear today starting with the Miami campaign network.
>> Thank you very much chair and committee members. Uh my name is Co Solsman from the UMA campaign network. I'm the campaign coordinator.
>> I can go next. Um thank you very much. My name is Caitlyn McCaffrey. I'm a policy director at the Center for Policy Development and I'm appearing today as a um member of the Myanmar campaign
>> Thanks Miss McCaffrey.
>> Uh good [clears throat] morning everyone. My name is Clancy Moore. I'm the chief executive officer of Transparency International Australia and similarly I'm appearing here as a member
>> Thanks Mr. Moore and now to the Australian Council of Trade Unions.
>> Thank you chair. Good morning everyone. Nikil Singh from the Australian Council of Trade Unions. I'm an international officer with the ACU.
>> Thank you very much Mr. Singh. Uh, I would now like to ask both of you, representatives from each organization to make an opening statement, a brief opening statement if you wish, starting with the Miami campaign network.
>> Thank you very much, chair. Thank you, chairs and the member of the committee for the opportunity to speak today on the escalating the crisis in Myanmar. Five years after the 2021 military coup, Myanmar is no longer just in political tone is a fullscale humanitarian disaster and a regional security threat with the direct implication for the uh Australia. The juna maldi phase the election so-cal elections that from December 2025 to the January was widely condemned as a sham voting was limited to uh juna control areas major opposition party like national league for democracy the NLD were banned or dissolved and critics were arrested under repressive laws and the military retains its guarant guarantee 35% of seat that Juna backs the Union solidarity and development party claim a landslide but the process excluded diverse territories amid civil war face white and served only to entrance the military rule rather than the restored democracy the UN human rights groups and many governments rejected it outright on the The resistant forces, people defense forces, ethnic arms organizations are holding firm independent um the estimates show that the juna control only roughly 20 to 40% of the territory with the resistant group dominating much of the rest through contested zone. These fighters succeeded with the improvide weapons, drones and determination without major foreign military support. After years of the failed nonviolence appeal, a spring revolution turned to arms resistance, the only response that Juna understands. Tragically, this normalizes violence for a generations and risk Myamar's long-term stability. The Juna counters with the escalating atrocity. Uh 2025 last year is a record-breaking air strike um deadliest since the coup targeting civilian hospitals, schools, and villages to instill terror. This has internally displaced over 5.6 six million people the largest crisis in Saudi Asia fueling acute hunger blocked the egg and massive suffering the externally China and Russia prop up their ja with arms drone helicopters immunition and diplomatic cover India has supplied their weapons too it's the uh turned the um the conflict into geopolitical proxy structure were prolonging the general's hold and when we look at the closer home protected cyber scam compound especially along the Thai Burma border run massive fraud operation hidden Australia's art roman scam drain elderly pensions crypto fraud targeted young losses run into billions regionally and annually is our Australian leaders like Senator Um David Schubbridge have rightly called for tougher action against these network and thank you very much for Senita for your voice. Australia has engaged diplomatically via AEN initial aid through AHA center and for the ignored the five point consensus and human humanitarian support via UN NOS's to bypass the juna but the general rejected talks violence rate on an 8s stay blocked we are mopping up leaks instead of fixing the roof prologing the circle Australia has the standing and expertise to lead more boldly, press AEN to prioritize human rights over non-inference and advocate for the inclusive dialogue involving um resistant ethnic group civil society perks uh moderated by the neutral party like the um Australia. The most urgently to stop bombing targeted sanction on Junda revenue businesses and especially jet fuel imports powering those air strikes evasions detected like ghost ship um must be choke off the to cur the area terror on civilian. So cheers and member of the committee this isn't a remote suffering it's a drive refugee cyber crime victimizing our citizen and instability on our doorstep so my people show extraordinary courage decisive action is uh needed now to support them and end this nightmare so I thank you very much and I welcome your
>> thank you very much Mr. Sman to the ACTU for an opening brief opening statement.
>> Uh thank you chair and again good morning uh to you and the senators. I acknowledge that I'm speaking to you from the land of the Gatical people of the Euro nation and thank you for the opportunity to make a submission and to appear before the committee uh this morning. I'm representing the Australian Council of Trade Unions, the ACTU, the a key target of these attacks. Many members have suffered persecution, imprisonment, violence, and torture. The entire CTUM leadership has been issued with war warrants for the arrest and their passport and citizenship have been enables, facilitates, or prolongs particular any relations that might contribute or enable the perpetuation of or means, including jet fuel or the free resolution. We now must act with the urgency demands. A key way Australia can act to implement the resolution is by enacting additional sanctions. Sanctions matter because the juna relies on a small number of high value revenue streams and international intermediaries to sustain its operations. Targeting these entities that channel funds to the Duta is not symbolic. It directly limits the DUT's ability to commit atrocities against workers and communities. To be effective, sanctions must be coordinated with international partners, aligned with those imposed by the EU, the UK, the US, and Canada, and updated to ensure that Juna cannot simply rebrand itself to circumvent sanctions. Sanctions are practical immediate means of disabling the juna's m machinery of violence while supporting the pro pro-democracy movement independent unions and the legitimate representatives elected in 2021 election the national unity government Australia has a proud record of defending human rights and supporting democratic movements in our region our leadership matters this is a moment to demonstrate that commitment one of the first things that the government should do is outrightly reject in very clear terms the shamm elections for the people of Myanmar for the workers, unionists and communities who continue to resist at unimaginable personal risk. We must apply every available pressure to isolate the Juda and support a return to democracy. Thank you and I'm also happy to take questions. Uh