MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

21.10.2008

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 115 of the Rules of Procedure
by Pasqualina Napoletano, Glenys Kinnock, Ana Maria Gomes
on behalf of the PSE Group
on the situation in Burma

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B6-0554/2008

B6‑0558/2008

European Parliament resolution on the situation in Burma

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to its previous resolutions on placeplaceBurma

–  having regard to the Council Conclusions on Burma/Myanmar of 29 April 2008 and the Council Common Position renewing restrictive measures against Burma,

–  having regard to Rule 115(5) of the Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas Aung San Suu Kyi's latest term of house arrest was illegally extended in May 2008 for another year and she has spent more than 13 years of the past 19 years confined to her home;

B.   whereas at the beginning of October an official appeal against the latest extension of her house arrest was formally handed to the military government;

C.  whereas international sources estimate that the number of political prisoners in Burma has nearly doubled in the past year to over 2100, despite the high profile dissident releases on 23 September 2008;

D.  whereas last week a number of closed trials of 37 political activists and dissidents began including several leaders of the 1988 student uprising that have already spent almost 20 years in prison;

E.  whereas the constitutional process promoted by the Burmese regime seeks to perpetuate and legitimise its continuing human rights abuses and to ensure impunity for past and future violations;

F.  whereas since September 2007 brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters repressions in placeplaceBurma have escalated and the military junta has failed to deliver on promises made to the international community in the aftermath of the Saffron revolution;

G.  whereas for the last 60 years the Burmese army has been waging a military offensive against ethnic Karen populations that involved widespread and systematic violations of human rights and humanitarian law which constitute crimes against humanity;

H.  whereas the Burmese military government has paralysed access to free online media severely restricting access to independent sources of information and two cyber-dissidents are currently in prison for using their right to freedom of expression online;

1.  Strongly appeals to the military government of placeplaceBurma to immediately release all political prisoners and to put an end to the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi;

2.  Denounces the arbitrary charges behind the arrests of many dissidents and the harsh conditions of detention of political prisoners including widespread use of torture and hard labour; expresses deep concern about the systematic denial of medical treatment to political prisoners, and calls for the ICRC to be allowed to resume visits.

3.  Urges on the Burmese government to uphold its pledges made last year to the UN representatives to engage in a genuine dialogue with the opposition, to revoke the constitution adopted in a process lacking legitimacy and to create conditions for an inclusive participation of political parties in a genuine political process;

4.  Calls on the Council to maintain the EU targeted sanctions against the Burmese junta currently in place and calls on other democratic countries to undertake similar actions in order to prevent the junta from thriving at the expense of a suffering nation; calls on the EU to fulfil its pledge to increase sanctions if there is no progress towards political reforms, and to introduce new targeted financial sanctions to stop the SPDC and business cronies from using the European financial system;

5.  Strongly condemns the ethnic cleansing directed against the Karen minority including those seeking refuge in neighbouring Thailand; calls in this respect on the international community to exert stronger pressure on the junta to stop military actions against civilians; and to increase humanitarian assistance to affected populations, including by cross-border mechanisms where necessary;

6.  Fully supports the work of Ibrahim Gambari, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Burma and Piero Fassino, EU Special Envoy for Burma towards the democratisation of the country; deeply regrets that SPDC promises of an open dialogue with the opposition, a free and fair constitutional process, an inclusive electoral process and a roadmap to democracy have not been kept;

7.  Warmly welcomes the proposed visit to Burma by the UN Secretary General in December 2008; supports his demands for the release of all political prisoners; calls on all members of the UN, China, Russia, India and ASEAN to use their diplomatic influence in supporting Ban Ki-moon in securing the release of political prisoners;

8.  Noting that 37 visits by UN envoys in the past 20 years have not secured a single reform by the SPDC, and recalling the United Nations Security Council Presidential statement of 11 October 2007 which has also been ignored by the SPDC, calls for timelines and benchmarks to be set for reform, and for the United Nations Security Council to consider passing a resolution on Burma if the timelines and benchmarks are not met;

9.  Calls on the French Presidency to use the opportunity of the upcoming ASEM summit in Beijing to raise concerns about ongoing human rights abuses in Burma and urge the military regime to immediately stop persecution of political dissidents, put an end to crimes against humanity in the eastern part of the country and stop the current constitutional and electoral process which lacks legitimacy;

10.  While warmly welcoming the lifting of some restrictions on aid in areas affected by Cyclone Nargis, notes that restrictions on aid delivery still exist in most parts of the country, particularly ethnic areas, and calls on the European Commission to work to ensure that these restrictions are lifted so that aid in Burma can be delivered on the basis of need;

11.  Pays tribute to the Thailand Burma Border Consortium, UNHCR and other agencies involved in supporting the tens of thousands of refugees in camps on the Thailand Burma Border, and calls on the Council to hold discussions with the Royal Thai government on obtaining formal legal refugee status for Burmese refugees in Thailand;

12.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States, the governments of the ASEAN nations, the National League for Democracy, the State Peace and Development Council and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.