Amnesty International welcomes NZ parliamentarians’ unanimous support for freedom in Myanmar

Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand (AIANZ) has welcomed the New Zealand Parliament’s motion passed today, calling on Myanmar’s authorities to guarantee the three freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly, and to immediately and unconditionally release of all political prisoners arrested for their peaceful opposition to the Government.

In the lead up to Myanmar’s first elections in 20 years, AIANZ has been campaigning for the New Zealand Government to join with the international community and speak out with one voice for Myanmar to improve its appalling human rights record.

“We are pleased to see New Zealand parliamentarians have unanimously called for an improvement of human rights in Myanmar,” says Patrick Holmes, Chief Executive Officer of AIANZ.

Maryan Street, Chair of the Cross-Party Parliamentary Group on Burma moved the motion after having secured the support of every other party in Parliament.

“Just three weeks out from Myanmar’s elections, over 2,200 political prisoners continue to languish in jail in deplorable conditions, huge sections of the population have been excluded from taking part in the elections, and the Government continues to crack down on any opposition,” says Holmes.

“It is not enough to simply call for ‘free and fair’ elections in Myanmar – now is the time for the international community to exert political pressure on Myanmar to address the widespread human rights violations taking place before, during and after the 7 November elections,” adds Holmes.

Burmese activist and former political prisoner Aung Khaing Min was present in the public gallery to witness today’s parliamentary motion being passed. Aung Khaing Min is in New Zealand on a nationwide speaking tour as part of Amnesty’s Myanmar ‘Freedom’ Campaign. His visit is giving members of the New Zealand public, parliamentarians and the Government an opportunity to hear first-hand accounts of the personal struggles faced by the people of Myanmar.

“This statement by New Zealand’s Parliament comes at a critical time in my country’s history,” says Aung Khaing Min. “We are now only weeks away from the first elections in Burma in 22 years. This should be something to celebrate. But, sadly, it is not.”

Aung Khaing Min has supported Amnesty International’s calls on the New Zealand Government to now exert its political influence when it attends a series of meetings with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Hanoi, 28-30 October.

“New Zealand must urge ASEAN to exercise its influence and press Myanmar’s authorities to protect the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association,” says Aung Khaing Min. “For too long Myanmar’s neighbours have allowed the Government to prosper and survive. ASEAN must no longer hide behind its principles of non-interference.”

Amnesty International is also encouraging members of the New Zealand public to join the Myanmar ‘Freedom’ Campaign which is calling for the international community, including the Government of New Zealand, to pressure Myanmar’s authorities to protect the three freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association, and to release all Prisoners of Conscience.

New Zealanders can stand with the people of Myanmar by adding their faces to a petition targeting the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN members, and also donating to Amnesty’s Myanmar Election Appeal. Find out more at www.amnesty.org.nz/our-work/myanmar-freedom-campaign

Aung Khaing Min is in New Zealand October 10-20 and is speaking at public meetings in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. See Amnesty’s website for details: www.amnesty.org.nz/get-involved/events

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