In the last two weeks we have seen a catastrophe unfold in Myanmar, in the northern Rakhine state, where the Myanmar military have waged an assault on the Rohingya Muslims. An estimated 3,000 Rohingyas have already been killed. Over 350,000 Rohingyas have been forced to flee to Bangladesh with reports of starvation as the distribution of aid has been blocked by Myanmar security forces.
Brutal killings of women and children have taken place. There has been burning of villages.This is a humanitarian disaster.
I support calls by Human Rights Watch Australia and others in urging the Australian Government's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence and Australia's Defence Force chief to call Aung San Suu Kyi and the Myanmar armed forces and press for an immediate end to these atrocities.
