Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Hanafin for sharing time with me and I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I was amazed that on the second day this House sat a Member of the Opposition spoke aross the floor on the subject of Burma. The Member said the Seanad discussing the situation in Burma would have the same effect as us discussing the situation in Russia in the early 1900s. We must remember that advocacy and lobbying are powerful tools for change around the world. I agree with Senator Bacik in that regard.

It is difficult to understand a defeatist attitude from a Member. The Oireachtas presides in Leinster House, which faces onto Merrion Square where the great liberator, Daniel O'Connell, resided when in Dublin. He is regarded around the world as the founder of the modern day civil rights movement which has been a force for change of minds, attitudes and governments. His example was followed by Mahatma Gandhi whose actions and leadership led to the independence of the sub-continent of India. It was followed by Martin Luther King, whose protests brought about improved civil rights for African Americans in the United States. It was also followed by the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association in 1968 when its members marched in Derry. The actions of these people led to great change, but change did not come about in a matter of days, weeks, months or years. Sometimes, as in our case, it took centuries.

The junta in Burma could be on its last legs and it is important the Government and the United Nations keep up the pressure on it. Even on a small scale, lobbying and government pressure can be a great force for change. For example, the brother of a man sentenced to death in Pakistan said his family was indebted to the people who campaigned for the release of his brother, Mirza Hussein. He said the actions of those who wrote letters and stood in the rain with placards meant his death sentence was commuted and he was released. If people took the same attitude as some Opposition Members, that man would have died. If people in the House believe we can do nothing, we will do nothing.

Lobbying was also effective in Haiti and China. Over a period of five and a half years, more than 100,000 letters were sent to the Chinese Government calling for the release of Rebiya Kadeer. When she was released, she thanked all those who lobbied on her behalf. When we see how effective the lobbying of individuals around the world has been, it beggars belief that a Senator would have the attitude that anything we might do would be a waste of time.

Robert Kennedy spoke of apartheid in South Africa on 6 June 1966. He stated:

It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centres of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.

While we on our own will not change the situation in Burma, I commend the Government on its actions and on bringing pressure to bear, not only on the Burmese military junta, but also on the Chinese Government. I also commend it on its work with the United Nations and the European Union. We in the Seanad should add our weight to these calls and demands for change in Burma.