2022 Year in Review

AUSTRALIA'S RESPONSE
As mentioned by Dr Tun, the junta has arbitrarily detained citizens, including
Australian Professor and Economic Advisor Sean Turnell. In November of this
year, Turnell was released from Myanmar prison. He, along with three other
foreigners and 6,000 Myanmar prisoners, was released by the junta to “mark
National Day”. Earlier this year he was sentenced to 3 years in a closed court
trial. The Australian Government publicly rejected the sentencing.
Australia has provided limited assistance to Myanmar in wake of the coup.
Australia has focused on providing humanitarian assistance through trusted
third-party agencies, including the United Nations, ASEAN and International
Red Cross. On the political and diplomatic front, Australia is engaging
minimally with both the military and the NUG. Dr Tun suggests this reflects
Australia’s current foreign policy, which incorporates Australia’s democratic
values and national interests.
P r o f e s s o r S e a n T u r n e l l a n d h i s w i f e w e l c o m e d
i n p a r l i a m e n t a f t e r r e l e a s e f r o m a M y a n m a r
p r i s o n .
P H O T O : L U K A S C O C H / A A P P H O T O S
LOOKING FORWARD
2023 will be a significant year for
Myanmar. The military is planning an
election so as to move from the
aggressors of a coup d’état to an
elected government. The NUG and
most of Myanmar has rejected the
prospective election. Further, the NUG
has set up a 12-step political roadmap
to lead to a sustainable and peaceful
resolution to the 70-years long conflict
in Myanmar. The US has cautioned the
election would not be free or fair. It is
yet to be seen how the junta will
respond. To stop the senseless killings
and mass displacement, this crisis
needs to have a definitive end, sooner
rather than later.
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