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 Geoffrey Van Orden, Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Urszula Gacek, Bernd Posselt, Colm Burke, Eija-Riitta Korhola, Tunne Kelam
on behalf of the PPE-DE Group
on PlaceNameplaceBurma

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

B6‑0566/2008

European Parliament resolution on PlaceName placeBurma

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to its previous resolutions on PlaceNameplaceBurma,

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

A.       whereas 24th October 2008 marks the 13th anniversary of the unjust incarceration as a political prisoner of General Secretary of the National League for Democracy Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; whereas an additional 2,120 individuals continue to face imprisonment in atrocious conditions merely for expressing the wish to bring democracy to Burma; and whereas on 3rd October 2008 Navanethem Pillay, newly created UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, formally appealed to the Burmese military authorities to release all political prisoners;

B.       whereas on the anniversary of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's captivity leaders of Asian and European countries will convene the ASEM Heads of State Summit meeting in China;

C.       whereas the Burmese military junta is purposely refusing to take any preventive or protective measures to safeguard against the severe famine threatening Chin state in the West of the country;

D.       whereas in 2003 the United States forbade the import of all Burmese clothing, which is manufactured in conditions of virtual slavery, and whereas the Council of the European Union has hitherto failed to reach consensus among member states on taking equivalent measures;

E.        whereas the Secretary-General of the United Nations has announced that he may cancel a visit to PlaceNameplaceBurma planned for December 2008 should there be no discernible improvement in the national situation in the months ahead;

F.        whereas the United Nations finally admitted in August 2008 that the Burmese military authorities were fraudulently seizing a percentage of humanitarian aid remitted to PlaceNameplaceBurma through falsely weighted currency exchange rates;

G.  whereas in September 2008 Mr Win Tin, who had been jailed for 19 years, and a small number of other political prisoners were released;

1.  Condemns the continued detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who has been under intermittent house arrest since her victory at the last democratic elections in 1990, and of the 2,120 additional individuals imprisoned for their passive political views, and insists upon their immediate release;

2.  Asks the ASEM states to jointly appeal to the Burmese military authorities to release all political prisoners and attend to their humanitarian responsibilities, in particular with respect to the impending famine in the state of Chin;

3.  Calls on the Secretary-General of the United Nations to press ahead with a second visit to Burma in December irrespective of prevailing conditions in order to make an urgent personal appeal for the release of all political prisoners and the full inclusion of the National League for Democracy in preparations for the 2010 elections;

4.  Calls on the Council of the European Union to use its meeting on 11-12 December 2008 to review Council Regulation 194/2008 of 25 February 2008 renewing and strengthening the restrictive measures in respect of Burma and to find consensus among member states for prohibiting the import of Burmese manufactured clothing;

5.  Calls on the European Commission to explain what action it intends to take with respect to the United Nations' admission that a percentage of all humanitarian aid remitted to PlaceNameplaceBurma is falling victim to state-sponsored exchange-rate abuse;

6.  Calls on the European Commission to present a full report on the extent of the humanitarian assistance still required in the areas affected by the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis;

7.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the EU Special Envoy for Burma, the Burmese State Peace and Development Council, the governments of the ASEAN and ASEM member states, the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the NLD, the UN Secretary-General, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur for Burma.