Garry Woodard: Personal Statement on Sean Turnell

Garry Woodard AO served in the Department of External Affairs, later Foreign Affairs and Trade, from 1952 – 86, including as Ambassador to Burma and China and High Commissioner to Malaysia between 1973 and 1984. From 1986 – 2019 he was honorary senior research fellow at the University of Melbourne, which conferred on him an honorary Doctor of Letters.

Reminiscing about Sean Turnell

My relationship with Sean was an epistolary one, but none the less warm for that. It could be nothing else given Sean’s personal qualities and a shared commitment to a better life for the long suffering Burmese people.

It began when I contacted Sean after reading an analysis of why Burma (my preferred nomenclature) was not entitled to its status in the UN as one of the 10 least-developed countries. I knew how many many Burmese felt shame about this. Sean’s reply was quick and enthusiastic, and flattered me with its awareness of my journal and journalistic writings since 8.8.88. Thereafter we kept in touch from time to time.

Technical assistance to Southeast Asia and South Asia has been Australia’s major contribution to the Colombo Plan since 1951, just before I entered the Department of External Affairs. Australia introduced the first technical assistance program in China when I was there. Names like Sir John Crawford and Sir Harry Bland are revered in the countries they worked in and visited. Sean is directly in that proud tradition of building cooperation and mutual understanding, and his detention sullies the names of those who have gone before him.

Our concern for Sean and his loved ones and our hopes for him to be able to return to making his own distinctive and distinguished contribution to regional development rose by the day

8 February 2022