MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

25.9.2007

to wind up the debate on statements by the Council and Commission
pursuant to Rule 103(2) of the Rules of Procedure
by Gintaras Didžiokas and Adam Bielan
on behalf of the UEN Group
on human rights in Burma/Myanmar

B6‑0363/2007

European Parliament resolution on human rights in Burma/Myanmar

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to its previous resolutions on Burma/Myanmar, in particular that of 5 September 2007,

–  having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas the country's Buddhist monks launched their protest a week ago after the military government failed to apologise for the beatings of some monks during a demonstration in the central city of Pakkoku three weeks ago,

B.  whereas since 22 September tens of thousands of Burmese people have joined the monks in organised marches in Burma's main city, Rangoon, in protest against the ruling military junta,

C.  whereas these marches, initially triggered by a five-fold increase in the fuel price on 15 August, are the largest non-violent demonstrations in Burma since the failed 1988 democratic uprising that was led by students and brutally put down by the military,

D.  whereas the military authorities issued a warning to senior Buddhists on 24 September, threatening action if the protests were not stopped, and have allegedly instituted in secret a state of emergency authorising the military, local police and Special Branch police to bring the demonstrations under control,

1.  Calls on the EU, the UN, the ASEAN member states and the international community to immediately take all necessary measures in order to prevent any violent crackdown on peaceful protesters by the military authorities and to ensure the effective protection of the rights of the Burmese people;

2.  Calls therefore on the UN Security Council to address the situation in Burma as a matter of urgency and to empower the UN Secretary-General to mediate in Burma in order to bring about national reconciliation and a transition to democracy, and calls on the UN Security Council to take the necessary measures to impose economic sanctions against Burma in an effort to force change;

3.  Condemns the State Peace and Development Council's (SPDC) unlawful methods of political and ethnic repression of the Burmese people;

4.  Deplores the fact that, despite the state of the country, regional and international criticism and forty-five years of rule, the SPDC has failed to make any tangible progress towards democracy and economic prosperity whatsoever;

5.  Demands the immediate release of and full freedom of movement and expression for Ms Aung San Suu Kyi and other political leaders and all political prisoners;

6.  Urges the cessation of the current illegitimate constitutional process, and its replacement by a fully representative National Convention including the National League for Democracy (NLD) and other political parties and groups, taking account of the recommendations made by the UN Secretary-General to transform it into an inclusive and democratic constitution-making process;

7.  Urges China, India and Russia to use their considerable economic and political leverage with the Burmese regime in order to bring about substantial improvements in the country and, in any case, to cease the supply of weaponry and other strategic resources;

8.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the ASEAN and ASEM member states, the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, the NLD, the UN Secretary-General, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burma.