Di Morrissey - Di's Diary

I was invited to speak at a rally – “Gather for Democracy, Stand for Freedom” to show support for inspirational Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi who has been under house arrest for 13 of the past 21 years. My amazing friend, Janelle Saffin, the Federal MP for Page who is also a tireless worker for human rights around the world and who knows Aung San Suu Kyi has long wanted to organise a rally for her to show she is not forgotten and has the support of women in Australia.

So we gathered on the steps of the Sydney Opera House and despite a cool blustery day, hundreds of people, especially the Burmese community turned up. Many women heard about the rally on the radio that morning and decided to come along as well.

Jenny Morris opened the event with a song ‘Talking About A Revolution’ and I was the first speaker to welcome everyone and have the honour of introducing Janelle. (See my comments below.)

Therese Rein, the Prime Minister’s wife made a beautiful speech and Lucy Turnbull, wife of the Leader of the Opposition, Claire Mallison the Australian head of Amnesty International also spoke as did a charming Burmese girl, Nyein Aye Kyi who has grown up in Australia. There were other famous faces there like my old mate Kerrie-Anne Kennerley and lovely Jackie Lawrence who won an Olympic silver medal in Kayaking in the last Olympics. Jackie lives in Janelle’s electorate and I’ve known Jackie since she was tiny.

At the end of the ceremony we all stood in silence to send thoughts and messages to Aung San Suu Kyi in her home by the river that she’s rarely left. It was especially touching afterwards to have Burmese people come up and thank us for helping the plight of their people back in Burma.

While we have our own issues of the homeless, the state of Aboriginal health and welfare, the many social problems affecting our youth, every person in Australia should be grateful to be living here. We have freedom to speak, associate with whom we wish, travel where we want, have the right to vote for our own leaders and decide our own fate. . . something people in Myanmar do not have.

Her grace, dignity, humility and steadfast loyalty to the people of Burma that Aung San Suu Kyi continues to demonstrate under extreme conditions is humbling and inspiring.

Sydney October 27, 2009 1pm

Thank you all for coming today to show support for an inspiring woman – Aung San Suu Kyi.

And speaking of inspiring women, I am here to introduce my friend Janelle Saffin, the Federal member for Page who has created and organised today’s event – “Gather for Democracy, Stand for Freedom.”

I am very proud to call Janelle a friend as she is such a great fighter for human rights. She has always fought for people’s rights, not just in Australia but around the world.

Janelle has asked all women of Australia to “Gather for Democracy and stand for freedom.”

So I want to add my voice to support Aung San Suu Kyi and the people of Burma in their quest for liberty and their fight for freedom.

Aung San Suu Kyi has asked us to, “Please use your liberty to help promote ours.”

I have happily responded to both calls, and can say that I feel honoured and humbled to be able to help in a small way. That is why we are gathered here, on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, to help, to speak out, to stand up, for the democratic values that we hold dear, and ones for which many in Burma suffer.

It is unbelievable that Aung San Suu Kyi, loved overwhelmingly by her people, has spent thirteen of the past twenty-one years under house arrest since she has been leading the freedom struggle in Burma, to free her people from the strictures of an unjust military dictatorship. She is not free to speak out, so we must speak out to show our support.

Janelle Saffin is respected locally as a hard worker in her role as an MP and an achiever for our local area and is a respected human rights advocate. She has helped fight for the rights of the people of Timor Leste and was previous Principal Adviser to, and friend of, East Timor’s President Jose Ramos-Horta .

Janelle has also spent years fighting for the rights of the people of Burma. She recognises that Burma’s freedom will best be gained through the inspiring leadership of Aung San Suu Kyi. So she has done a wonderful thing in bringing us together to shine a spotlight light on Aung San Suu Kyi and the plight of the over 50 million people of Burma.

Burma is a long way from Lismore where Janelle lives, but Aung San Suu Kyi and her struggle to bring freedom to her people, is never far from Janelle’s heart.

Janelle knows Aung San Suu Kyi, knows Burma, knows and cares deeply about the people and their struggle and is committed to their cause. In a frenetic life, she makes time for Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma. This commitment to others has inspired me to support Janelle and her work.

Janelle told me that she felt compelled to heed Aung San Suu Kyi’s call to “Please Use Your Liberty to Help Promote Ours”, and that is what today’s event is about. Having met Aung san Suu Kyi, compels Janelle even more.

It is my hope that our gathering today will help bring more attention to the plight of Aung San Suu Kyi and the suffering of the Burmese people, especially the women and children.

So along with Janelle and those here today I am reaching out to ask women across Australia, to join us and help Burma’s Aung San Suu Kyi gain her freedom and that of her people.

I thank you Janelle for your vision, your commitment, and the practical way you just get out and do things, such as organising today’s event, something you told me that you had long wanted to do. I thank you for bringing me into it, so that I too can ‘gather for democracy and stand for freedom’, for Aung San Suu Kyi.

Please welcome Janelle Saffin.

Di Opens the Rally

Di opens the rally.

Di Hugs Janelle Saffin

Di hugs Janelle Saffin who organised the rally.

The line up... Therese Rein the Pm's wife far left, Di far right (click image for bigger picture).

Di's latest novel, The Silent Country, is out now.