'This is really important': Myanmar's government-in-exile opens office in Canberra

The representative office's opening has ignited fresh calls for Australia to deepen its engagement with Myanmar's government-in-exile, in place of its military junta.

The National Unity Government's representative to Australia Dr Tun Aung Shwe and others pop champagne at the opening of the embassy. Credit: Michelle Haywood Photograph

Key Points

• The military junta ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's democratically elected National League for Democracy 18 months ago.
• The National Unity Government consists of ousted political leaders from this civilian government and others opposed to the military junta.

Members of Australia's Burmese community have gathered in the nation's capital to open a representative office for their country's shadow civilian government.

The National Unity Government (NUG) was formed in May 2021, consisting of ousted political leaders of Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, and others in opposition to the military junta.

On Wednesday night, the NUG opened its representative office in Canberra, less than two kilometres from the official embassy of Myanmar.

The NUG’s representative to Australia, Dr Tun Aung Shwe said it was a momentous occasion.

"This is really important," Dr Shwe told SBS News.

"Australia is a really important country for Myanmar. Since the 2011 revolution, it was one of the earliest diplomatic relationships for Myanmar."

National Unity Government representative to Australia Dr Tun Aung Shwe (centre) and Labor MP Peter Khalil at the embassy opening. Credit: Michelle Haywood Photography

But since the democratically-elected government of Ms Suu Kyi was deposed 18 months ago, the question of Australia's diplomatic relations with the country has come under increasing scrutiny.

Among those in attendance at the opening ceremony in Canberra were a number of members of Australia's parliament from across the political divide.

Greens spokesperson for foreign affairs Jordon Steele-John called on the Australian government to recognise the NUG as the legitimate government of Myanmar.

"It is a great step forward in the history of democracy for Myanmar, and what’s needed now is for the government and the Liberal Party to follow the Greens' lead in recognising the NUG as the legitimate government of Myanmar, and turn words of solidarity into action," Senator Steele-John told SBS News at the ceremony.

Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John speaks to SBS News at the opening of the National Unity Government embassy. Credit: Michelle Haywood Photography

The Australian government says it recognises states rather than governments.

However, a spokesperson for Foreign Minister Penny Wong said "the foreign minister will continue engaging with representatives of the NUG" and that Australia's engagement with the military regime is "necessarily limited".

The foreign minister also issued a statement last week condemning the executions of four pro-democracy activists in the country.

The Opposition's foreign affairs spokesperson Simon Birmingham echoed the sentiments of Senator Wong, who is in Cambodia for talks with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"I wish Minister Wong well in working with her ASEAN counterparts to make sure maximum pressure is applied to the Myanmar regime, in terms of ceasing such executions and working through the many sensitive issues we have," he said.

Among the Burmese-Australians at the NUG office on Wednesday was Tayzar Myint, who travelled from Adelaide to attend the ceremony.

Tayzar Myint travelled from Adelaide to attend the ceremony at the new embassy. Source: SBS News

Mr Myint described being brought up in a rebel military camp during a period of dictatorship in the 1980s, when the country was previously under the junta's rule.

The 2021 coup brought those memories back for him.

"When I first saw it, when it happened, I was in shock," he told SBS News.

"There were sleepless nights, and even at work I couldn’t function properly because my mind was there."

But for Mr Myint and many like him at the ceremony, the representative office brought a renewed sense of hope.