MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Myanmar, notably the case of journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo
11.9.2018 - (2018/2841(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 135 of the Rules of Procedure
Urmas Paet, Izaskun Bilbao Barandica, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Valentinas Mazuronis, Marietje Schaake, Petras Auštrevičius, Beatriz Becerra Basterrechea, Gérard Deprez, Ivan Jakovčić, Petr Ježek, Patricia Lalonde, Louis Michel, Javier Nart, Maite Pagazaurtundúa Ruiz, Carolina Punset, Jozo Radoš, Frédérique Ries, Robert Rochefort, Ramon Tremosa i Balcells, Ivo Vajgl, Hilde Vautmans, Cecilia Wikström, Filiz Hyusmenova on behalf of the ALDE Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0371/2018
B8‑0382/2018
European Parliament resolution on Myanmar, notably the case of journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo
The European Parliament,
-having regard to its previous resolutions on Myanmar and on the situation of the Rohingya, in particular that of 14 June 2018
-having regard to the European Council conclusion on Myanmar of 25 June 2018;
-having regard to the EU Guidelines for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child, adopted by the Council on 6 March 2017,
-having regard to the statement of 30 March 2016 by Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini on the entry into office of the new Government of the Union of Myanmar,
-having regard to the joint press release on the fourth EU-Myanmar Human Rights Dialogue of 5 March 2018,
-having regard to the UN report of Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar of 24 August 2018
-having regard to the 1951 UN Convention on the Status of Refugees and to the 1967 Protocol thereto,
-having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child,
-having regard to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness,
-having regard to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) Global 2014-24 Action Plan to End Statelessness of November 2014,
-having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948,
-having regard to the final report of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State of August 2017,
-having regard to the Charter of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN),
-having regard to the UN Security Council Report of the Secretary-General on conflict-related sexual violence released on 23 March 2018,
-having regard to Rules 135(5) and 123(4) of its Rules of Procedure,
A.Whereas on 24 August 2018, the UN has published a report with conclusive evidence that the actions of the Myanmar’s armed forces, known as the Tatmadaw “ undoubtedly amounted to the gravest crimes under international law” against the Rohingya; whereas the Tatmadaw carried out killings, gang-raping of women, assaulting children and burning entire villages; whereas the Tatmadaw also carried out other crimes against humanity like enforced disappearances, torture, rapes and used sexual slavery and other forms of sexual violence, persecution and enslavement;
B.Whereas the estimate of 10,000 deaths is considered to be conservative; Whereas the UN fact finding mission also found evidence of mass extermination and deportation; Whereas the UN report comes to the conclusion that the crimes committed in the Rakhine State are similar in nature, gravity and scope to genocide;
C.whereas around 1 million Rohingya have fled the violence inflicted against them and sought refuge in Bangladesh; whereas approximately 500,000 Rohingya children fled to Bangladesh, many of whom alone after their parents were killed or after being separated from their families; Whereas around 400 villages were partially or totally destroyed, encompassing around 38.000 structures;
D.whereas this crisis impacts women and girls severely and in different ways than men and boys by reinforcing, perpetuating and exacerbating pre-existing persistent gender inequalities, gender-based violence and discrimination;
E.whereas Rohingya children and women are highly exposed to the risk of being trafficked into prostitution, as well as to the risk of sexual harassment and violence in the refugee camps in Bangladesh; whereas lost Rohingya children in the refugee camps are the most vulnerable and are likely to become victims of human trafficking;
F.Whereas there is clear evidence that Commander-in-chief Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing, Deputy Commander-in-chief Vice Snr-Gen Soe Win, Lt Gen Aung Kyaw Zaw, Maj Gen Maung Soe, Brig Gen Aung Aung and Brig Gen Than Oo are responsible for the atrocities against the Rohingya population;
G.Whereas Mrs Aung San Suu Kyi, who in 1991 won the Nobel Peace Prize and the Sakharov Prize in 1990 for her peaceful protest has ignored the genocide against the Rohingya and ignored her responsibility concerning these atrocities; Whereas the Myanmar government is still denying the acts against the Rohingya and still refuse access to the Rakhine state to external observers; whereas the government of Myanmar has stated that they do not support an ICC investigation; Whereas the authorities in Myanmar go to great lengths to silence those who are investigating the crimes committed in the Rakhine state.
H.whereas the International Criminal Court has ruled it can prosecute Myanmar for the crimes against humanity against the Rohingya;
I.Whereas two Reuters journalists, Wa Lone (32) and Kyaw Soe Oo (28) have been arrested while investigating the massacre of the Rohingya on 3 September 2018, have been found guilty of breaching the country’s Official Secrets Act and sentenced to seven years in prison;
J.whereas Rohingya human rights activist, Wai Wai Nu, who was imprisoned from when she was 18 years old until she was 25 years old still is one of the many examples of activists targeted by the Myanmar authorities;
1.Calls for the overturn of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo sentence and their immediate release; Insists that Myanmar respects the freedom of the media and guarantees that the media can do their job to the fullest; Emphasises the importance of the right to free speech and absolute necessity to guarantee journalists, human rights activists and the civil society the freedom and security to do their work;
2.Repeats its strong condemnation of the attacks by the Myanmar military against the Rohingya population which amounts to ethnic cleansing and genocide; is deeply concerned with the grave acts against humanities which have been executed by the military and have been allowed for by the Myanmar government;
3.Urges the Government of Myanmar to allow full-unhindered access to Rakhine State for international observers and human rights and humanitarian relief organisations
4.Repeats the need for medical and psychological assistance to be provided in the refugee camps, particularly tailored for vulnerable groups including women and children; calls for greater support services for victims of rape and sexual assault; insists that all women and girls should have access to information and services on sexual and reproductive health, including contraception and safe abortion
5.Calls on the EEAS and the Member States to seek accountability in multilateral fora for those responsible for committing crimes in Myanmar; urges that the EU and the EU Member States take the lead in the UN Security Council and table a dedicated resolution referring the entire situation in Myanmar/Rakhine State to the ICC;
6.urges that the EU Member States take the lead in the UN General Assembly and the UΝ Human Rights Council and ensure the urgent establishment of an international, impartial, and independent mechanism to support further investigations into the atrocities;
7.Calls on the President of the European Parliament to make a public statement in which he speaks out against Mrs Aung San Suu Kyi and requests her to return the Sakharov Prize;
8.Welcomes the Council’s adoption on 26 April 2018 of a framework for targeted measures against officials responsible for serious human rights violations and strengthening the EU’s arms embargo; Calls on an increase of the sanctions targeting those military commanders who are implicated in serious human rights abuses;
9.Emphasises the need for the UN Security Council to impose a global comprehensive arms embargo on Myanmar, suspending all direct and indirect supply, sale or transfer;
9 bis (NEW)
Reiterates its call on the Commission to consider consequences in the context of the trade preferences Myanmar enjoys, including considering launching an investigation under the mechanisms provided for in the Everything But Arms provision; (Marietje Schaake)
10.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Government and Parliament of Myanmar, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, the Government and Parliament of Bangladesh, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the EU Member States, the Secretary-General of ASEAN, the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the UN Human Rights Council.