Burmese General Election, 17th Anniversary

17 years ago the people of Burma were looking forward to a brighter future.

The people of Burma had gone to the election and supported the National League for Democracy. A party committed to a free and democratic Burma.

The support was overwhelming with NLD winning 80% of the seats.

17 years ago Daw Aung San Suu Kyi should have taken her rightful place as the duly elected Prime Minister of Burma.

That democratic choice was brutally crushed by the military regime.

Elected officials had to escape from arrests and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was placed under house arrest.

This house arrest continues today.

This Sunday should be the dawn of a new era for Burma.

One where Aung San Suu Kyi is released from house arrest. She and the NLD should then be able to freely pursue a democratic Burma.

Instead the Orwellian named military junta - the State Peace and Development Council continues its oppression unabated and it remains unclear whether they will ever release Aung San Suu Kyi.

In Burma today:

• There is no political freedom. There are over 1100 political prisoners, many who are routinely tortured.
• Forced labour is a reality - Men, women and children are conscripted by the regime for labouring work living in tortuous and in near starvation.
• Drugs, corruption and the absence of even the most basic of services are contributing to Burma becoming one of the poorest nations on the planet. At the same time the regime spends over 50% of the countries budget on the military and only 19% on health.
• One in ten babies die before their 5th birthday and if they make it some children are become soldiers. Latest estimates put the number at 70,000 in a military of 500,000.
• A report to the UN has well documented summary executions, torture and rape by the military
• Burma produces the most refugees of any country in South East Asia with more than 100,000 people living over the Thai border.
• A resource rich country is impoverished.

The fight for democracy cannot be ignored. That is why rallies like todays are so important.

It is also why all the women Senators in the US and the first lady herself Laura Bush yesterday wrote to the Secretary General of the UN Ban Ki-moon urging him to apply more pressure on Burma by calling for a binding Security Council resolution that would assist in the release of Aung San Suu Kyi.

We continue to wait. We continue to show solidarity with those that support a democratic and peaceful Burma.

I am pleased to invite Maung Maung Aye and all here today to the democratically elected parliament of NSW as my guests to commemorate the 17th anniversary of the election and to call on the regime in Burma to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.