MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
21.10.2008
pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure
by Jules Maaten, Marios Matsakis, Marco Cappato, Marco Pannella
on behalf of the ALDE Group
on Burma
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B6-0554/2008
B6‑0557/2008
European Parliament resolution on Burma
The European Parliament,
- having regard to its resolution of 14 December 2006, of 21 June 2007 and 24 April 2008 on the situation in placeplaceBurma
- having regard to the Council conclusions of 19 November 2007 adopting strengthened and additional restrictive measures against placeplaceBurma,
- having regard to the Declaration by the Presidency of the European Union on effective international assistance to Burma/Myanmar ahead of the International Conference on 25 May 2008
- having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 194/2008 of 25 February 2008 renewing and strengthening the restrictive measures in respect of Burma/Myanmar and repealing Regulation (EC) No 817/2006 ,
- having regard to the fifth Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP) Meeting held in placeBeijingplace on 18-20 June 2008 and the upcoming Asia-Europe Summit Meeting (ASEM) in placeBeijing, scheduled next 24 October
- having regard to Rule 103(4) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the Heads of State and Government representing the European Union and Asia will meet in Beijing for the 7th ASEM Summit on 24 and 25 October,
B. whereas this ASEM Summit will be the biggest ever in terms of participation: six new members - India, Pakistan, Mongolia, Romania, Bulgaria and the ASEAN secretariat - will take part for the first time,
C. whereas the meeting in placeBeijingplace will bring together almost all of Asia and Europe and account for half of global GDP, nearly 60% of the world's population,
D. whereas the sanctions adopted by the EU against the Burmese Government have not been effective so far,
E. whereas the Burmese Government continues to enjoy close political and economic relations with neighbouring countries and with ASEAN,
F. whereas 30% of placeplaceBurma's population, an estimated 15 million people, are subsisting below the poverty line,
G. whereas there are still around 2000 political prisoners in placeplaceBurma, including Aung San Suu Kyi,
H. whereas on the occasion of the nomination of the three finalists for the 2008 Sakharov Prize in a joint meeting of the Foreign Affairs and the Development Committees, European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pöttering strongly appealed to the Burmese authorities to release 1990 Sakharov Prize winner, Ms Aun San Suu Kyi.
I. whereas the human rights situation in placeplaceMyanmar continued to deteriorate, culminating in September 2008 when authorities staged a five-day crackdown on widespread protests that had begun six weeks earlier.
J. whereas the Burmese State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), led by General Than Shwe continues to subject the people of Burma to appalling human rights abuses, such as forced labour, persecution of dissidents, conscription of child soldiers and forced relocation,
1. Calls the EU countries to seek more political pressure for placeBurma at the ASEM meeting in placeplaceBeijing next 24-25 October and to pressure for negotiation between Aun San Suu Kyi and SPDC to allow the international community to assist in humanitarian assistance;
2. Deplores the fact that the number of political prisoners has increased from 1300 to 2000 in the aftermath of the Saffron Revolution of September 2007 and that, despite the release of veteran journalist and NLD secretary U Win Tin and six other leaders last month, 23 NLD members have recently been arrested;
3. Deplores the fact that more than 100 people have been allegedly killed and around the same number disappeared in the crackdown against a peaceful demonstration held on September 2008 and that several thousand were detained in deplorable conditions;
4. Condemns the use by the government of anti-terrorism legislation to prosecute demonstrators;
5. Deplores the continuation of a military offensive in northern placeplaceKayinplace State, with widespread and systematic violations of international human rights and humanitarian law;
6. Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of political opponents of the regime and of more than 2000 political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, the leaders of the "88 Generation Students" and the leaders of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy arrested in 2005;
7. Urges the Commission, the Council and placeMemberplace Statesplace to take every opportunity to speak out in the international arena against the continuing and persistent abuse against children's rights in Burmaplace, especially through the use of child soldiers; condemns in the strongest possible terms the recruitment of child soldiers in placeBurma;
8. Supports the good offices of the UN Secretary-General and Mr Gambari's efforts to negotiate with the Burmese authorities; calls on the EU and the placeMemberplace Statesplace to work closely with the UN Special Envoy to ensure the consistency of the international community's involvement in placeBurma;
9. Supports the efforts of the EU's special envoy on placeplaceBurma, Piero Fassino, to promote a dialogue with ASEAN countries; urges ASEAN to put substantive pressure on the Burmese authorities to bring about democratic change;
10. Urges the Council to renew its targeted sanctions, and to broaden them, focusing on restrictions on access to international banking services for military-owned companies and for conglomerates and businesses that are closely linked to the military or whose earnings benefit the military, and restrictions on access to personal business opportunities, health care, shopping, and foreign education for their children, for selected generals and their immediate families;
11. At the same time, calls on the EU and the wider international community to offer incentives for reform as a counterbalance to the threat and/or imposition of sanctions and provide the military leadership with positive motivation for change;
12. Calls on the Commission to create and expand assistance programmes aimed at empowering disenfranchised groups, including women and ethnic and religious minorities, and alleviating political, ethnic, religious and other divisions;
13. Calls on the Commission to increase support for Burmese living outside the country through the DCI programme on uprooted people and to look into other ways of providing support;
14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the governments and parliaments of the ASEAN countries, the Burmese National League for Democracy, the Burmese State Peace and Development Council, the Government of the People's Republic of China, the Government and Parliament of India, the Government of Russia and the United Nations Secretary-General.