MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Burma - conduct of elections and the release of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi

23.11.2010

with request for inclusion in the agenda for the debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 122 of the Rules of Procedure

Fiorello Provera on behalf of the EFD Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0635/2010

B7‑0635/2010

European Parliament resolution on Burma - conduct of elections and the release of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to its previous resolutions on Burma/ Myanmar,

-    having regard to the Chair's statement of the eight Asia-Europe Meeting in October 2010,

–   having regard to the statement made by High representative Catherine Ashton on behalf of the European Union on the elections in Burma/ Myanmar on 7 November 2010,

-    having regards to the statement made by Ban Ki-moon in Bangkok on 26 October 2010,

-    having regard to the report of UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar on 15 September 2010,

-    having regard to the statement made by Aung San Suu Kyi on November 2010,

-    having regards to the statements made by H. Van Rompuy and C. Ashton on the release of Aug San Suu Kyi,

–   having regard to Rule 122(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas after the liberation of Aung San Suu Kyi, approximately 2200 political prisoners and more than 230 Buddhist monks remain in prison,

B.  whereas the conclusions of the eighth Asia-Europe meeting reiterated the call for free, fair and inclusive elections,

C. whereas 10 000 Burmese refugees entered in Thailand the day after the elections due to clash between Burmese army and ethnic rebel groups,

D. whereas the election has been conduct in a climate of fear, intimidation and resignation,

E.  whereas the election laws of March 2010 have placed unfair restrictions on opposition parties and reserved a significant number of seats for the military,

1.  welcomes the liberation of Aung San Suu Kyi following her imprisonment for over a decade and a half, and recalls that thousands of political prisoners remain Burmes prisons;

2.  invites Aung San Suu Kyi to attend the Sakharov Prize Ceremony in December in order to receive the Sakharov Prize that she obtained in 1990;

3. supports Aung San Suu Kyi's declared will to cooperate with the current Burmese regime in order to achieve democratic solidarity and national unity through an inclusive dialogue process open to a broad range of political forces and ethnic minorities;

4. urges the international community to continue its efforts to promote real change in Burma after the elections, to achieve respect for human rights through an inclusive political process;

5.  urges the EU Special Envoy for Burma/Myanmar Piero Fassino to report to the European Parliament on the impact of his activities on the current developments in Burma/Myanmar and the EU role in this crisis;

6.  urges the newly elected Government to release all prisoners of conscience without delay, unconditionally and with full restoration of their political rights, and strongly urges the Government of Burma/Myanmar to lift restrictions on freedom of assembly, association, movement and expression, including for free and independent media;

7.  strongly condemns systematic violations of the human rights, fundamental freedoms and the basic democratic rights of the people of Burma/Myanmar;

8.  condemns voting irregularities, intimidation and repression, that have deprived thousands of Burmese citizens of their right to vote and to stand for election,

9.  deeply regrets the fact that Burmese authorities rejected offers of technical assistance and monitoring by the international community; condemns the obstacles placed upon foreign media trying to report from inside Burma;

10. Despite the creation of the ASEAN Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) one year ago, regrets the fact that this body has yet to prove itself relevant to improving the human rights situation in Burma;

11. calls on the HR/VP, ASEAN countries and other relevant international actors to adopt coordinated sanctions on Burma/Myanmar;

12. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the High Representative/Vice-President of the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the EU Special Envoy for Burma/Myanmar, the Burmese State Peace and Development Council, the governments of the ASEAN and ASEM member states, the governments of Bangladesh and Russia, the ASEM Secretariat, the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the National League for Democracy, the UN Secretary-General, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma/Myanmar.