ACTU President Michele O’Neil has written to Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne urging Australia to take strong action in response to the military coup in Myanmar. 

The ACTU and Australian civil society organisations are calling on the Australian Government to take the following urgent actions to support democracy in Myanmar:

• Support comprehensive, targeted sanctions against the military, its leaders and its business interests and business partners;
• Suspend all military-to-military cooperation between the Australian Defence Forces and the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Armed Forces);
• Use all diplomatic leverage and influence to ensure rule of law is upheld and a return to democratic norms, civilian led government and the immediate release of those men and women detained including journalists, civil society activists and MPs;
• Support accountability mechanisms and proceedings including at the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.