This was originally posted on my political blog at https://politicalmusingsofkayleen.blogspot.com/2021/03/human-rights-abuses-evils-are-linked.html.
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I have just sent the following to my local Federal MP:
The
fact that Australia is continuing to actively support - and thereby
morally participate in their evil deeds - the genocidaires who committed
the genocide against the Rohingya (still ongoing) is utterly
unconscionable.
The fact that Scott's government has been so secretive
about that assistance - I've asked several times for information on it -
is not only gravely concerning from the point of view of transparency
and decency in government, it also STRONGLY suggests that
there is reason for the secrecy, such as that the military assistance is
enabling the abuses of the Tatmadaw, just as, decades ago, we enabled
the human rights abuses of the Kopassus in Indonesia! What evils are we perpetrating?
After reading this article today, I still do not know.
I DO know,
however, that evils are linked: those who are corrupt, or are prepared
to support possible child rapists (and convicted child abusers, for that
matter), misogynists and right wing conspiracy fantasists, are also HIGHLY likely to be LGBTIQ-phobic, racist, and to either take part in or support other abuses of human rights.
We
need an election to vote Scott's government out, but we also need small
steps towards decency along the way, so I am going to repeat my
question:
exactly WHAT military aid are we providing to the genocidaires in Burma? If it is training, training in WHAT?
Any assistance you can provide on this would be appreciated.
As I stated (not only above - this is a message I've preached for decades), evils are linked: there is clear recent evidence (I cannot be bothered trying to dig up the evidence for those bigots [and a few others who are "just" seriously out of touch] who want to argue the point) that when controls against one form of bigotry are weakened or removed, other forms of hate / fear of difference emerge and become more active.
If we want to remove the blight of genocide from humanity's soul, we also need to remove racism, sexism / misogyny, LGBTIQ-phobia and every other form of bigotry from our heart, mind and soul.