MEMBERS of the Coffs Harbour Burmese community and their supporters gathered on Tuesday this week to protest the recent coup by the military junta on the democratically elected National League for Democracy (NLD).

Advertise with News of The Area today.
It’s worth it for your business.
Message us.
Phone us – (02) 4981 8882.
Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au

Elected officials, including the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint, activists and student leaders were abducted and their whereabouts remain unknown.

People’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) won 83% of the vote on November 8 2020 to form government for a second five year term.

The military coup, which began with the arrests, comes as the National League for Democracy (NLD), was meeting with ethnic parties to build a federal union of equal rights and self-determination to end more than 70 years of civil war.

In Coffs Harbour and surrounds there are several different ethnicities of Myanmar including ethnic Burmans also known as the Myanmar Community, Chin, Hakka Chin, Kachin, Zomi, Karen and Karenni.

Coffs Harbour has offered refuge for many Burmese ethnic minorities who had to flee their homelands due to military attacks and persecution.

Chin state, Coffs Harbour based community member Aye Win said, “The reaction in the Chin community has been strong condemnation of the military junta.

“We are really worried about our people and we all have family and friends in our home states.

“When we heard about this we were really sad and we don’t know what to do or how to react so we decided to join the protest against the military junta.”

Ms Win told News Of The Area, “By protesting we want to raise the profile and share information to let the government and community know.

“We want the Australian government and the MPs to be aware of what they can do and talk in parliament and do something to get the military to return the power to the democratically elected NLD.

“We would like the government to talk to the junta to sort out this problem and return the elected officials peacefully.
“We also urge the Australian government to stop giving the military any money or support for now.

“Wait and give support to civilians if there are strong organisations to help the civilians.”

The Chin community and other ethnic Burmese communities in Coffs Harbour have written letters condemning the Australian government’s financial and training support to the Burmese military responsible for the coup against democracy.

Ms Win said the Chin community is one of a number of ethnic groups from Myanmar, in our Local Government Area that have written letters to the Minister for Foreign Affairs,the Honourable Marise Payne, the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Penny Wong and the local Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan.

The letters condemn the military junta, demand release of those detained including Aung Sun Suu Kyi, seek a return to democracy and an end to all military support for Myanmar immediately.

By Sandra MOON