Matthew O’Kane,an Australian blocked from leaving Myanmar.

Matthew O’Kane,an Australian blocked from leaving Myanmar.Credit:Facebook

It was not apparent why she was not allowed to leave but a friend,Tim Harcourt,said she had spent a decade there dedicated to the cause of development in Myanmar.

“She’s in a group of Aussies that have gone over there and tried to help with the development of Myanmar after it went back to democracy,temporarily as it turned out,” said Harcourt who is a UNSW economist.

“She is someone who had her heart in the right place. She’s not a threat to any regime,she’s just trying to help the Burmese people.”

Christa Avery,an Australian detained in Myanmar.

Christa Avery,an Australian detained in Myanmar.Credit:Facebook

Harcourt said Avery was an active corporate member of the Sydney Swans when she lived in Sydney and worked at global accounting giant KPMG.

The detention of two more Australians comes as Australian officials in Yangon continue to try and secure the release of economist Sean Turnell,who the military claimed on state television a fortnight ago had attempted to flee Myanmar with “secret state financial information”.

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Friends of the Myanmar banking system expert have rubbished those allegations but Turnell remains in custody in an undisclosed location without formally being charged. An advisor to detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi,Turnell has been held by security forces in Myanmar since February 6.

Sean Turnell,right,with Aung San Suu Kyi,centre,and Frank Lowy,left,at the Lowy Institute in 2013.

Sean Turnell,right,with Aung San Suu Kyi,centre,and Frank Lowy,left,at the Lowy Institute in 2013.Credit:Peter Morris/Lowy Institute

Australia on March 7 suspended a military cooperation program with Myanmar but has not announced additional sanctions since the February 1 coup.

On the weekend,Australia was absent from a statement condemning the junta’s violence against protesters that was signed by ambassadors from the European Union,Denmark,Czech Republic,Finland,France,Germany,Italy,the Netherlands,Spain,Sweden,the United Kingdom and the United States.

At least 247 people have been killed during the military’s crackdown against pro-democracy demonstrators,with two more dying on Sunday,while 2345 have been arrested or charged,according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners monitoring group.

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On Sunday,Reuters reported one man was shot dead and several were wounded when police opened fire on a group setting up a barricade in the central town of Monywa.

Another person died when security forces opened fire on protesters in Mandalay,the country’s second biggest city,according to theMyanmar Now news site.

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