MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Burma
18.5.2010
pursuant to Rule 122 of the Rules of Procedure
Marietje Schaake, Metin Kazak, Marielle De Sarnez, Kristiina Ojuland, Anneli Jäätteenmäki, Niccolò Rinaldi, Ramon Tremosa i Balcells on behalf of the ALDE Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0283/2010
B7‑0283/2010
European Parliament resolution on Burma
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the statement by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Burma (Geneva, 5 May 2010)
– having regard to the Council conclusions on Burma/Myanmar (Luxembourg, 26 April 2010)
– having regard to the Council Conclusions of 27 April 2009 on Burma/Myanmar and the Council Common Position renewing restrictive measures against Burma,
– having regard to the European Council Conclusions - Declaration on Burma/Myanmar of 19 June 2009,
– having regard to the statement by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union of 11 June 2009 on the Karen civilians fleeing Burma/Myanmar,
– having regard to the EU Presidency statement of 23 February 2009 calling for all-inclusive dialogue between the authorities and democratic forces in Burma/Myanmar,
– having regard to United Nations General Assembly Resolution 64/238 of 23 December 2009 on the situation of human rights in Myanmar,
– having regard to the statement by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union of 14 May 2009 on the arrest of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on Burma/Myanmar,
– having regard to Rule 122(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the elections are planned later this year, first after 20 years;
B. whereas elections cannot be considered free and fair if the opposition is not involved;
C. whereas Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's party National League of Democracy (NLD) decided to boycott the elections;
D. whereas Burma’s new constitution is designed to maintain dictatorship in a civilian guise, and does not grant any human rights or prospect for genuine change;
E. whereas the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Burma has condemned ‘gross and systematic’ human rights abuses committed by Burma’s dictatorship, stating that they constitute ‘a state policy that involves authorities in the executive, military and judiciary at all levels’, and has called for the establishment of a United Nations Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the dictatorship;
F. whereas the government of Burma continues to refuse the EU envoy on Burma to visit the country and engage in dialogue, despite repeated requests over many months;
G. whereas the government of Burma has since 2003 rejected every single proposal by the United Nations and international community to reform its seven-stage ‘roadmap to democracy’;
H. whereas more than 140 political prisoners are being deliberately denied medical treatment, including 88 Generation Student leader Ko Mya Aye, who has a life-threatening heart condition;
I. whereas in March 2010 the Supreme Court rejected the appeal of Aung San Suu Kyi against the unjust sentence imposed last year;
J. whereas the ECHO has reduced funding for refugees on the Thailand Burma border despite number of refugees remaining almost the same, and has ended funding for boarding schools in refugee camps;
K. whereas attacks against ethnic minority civilians in eastern Burma continue, resulting in hundreds of thousands of displaced people, many of whom, due to restrictions on humanitarian assistance by the dictatorship, can only be reached by cross border aid from neighbouring countries;
L. whereas the United Nations Security Council, United Nations General Assembly, United Nations Human Rights Council, European Union and many other governments have said that the solution to Burma’s problems is genuine tripartite dialogue between Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy, genuine ethnic representatives, and the government of Burma, and that the government of Burma still refuses to enter into such dialogue;
M. whereas the EU remains a major donor to the country and stands ready to increase its assistance to the people of Burma/Myanmar, in order to improve their social and economic conditions;
1. Reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the people of Burma/Myanmar;
2. Underlines that the political and socio-economic challenges facing the country can only be addressed through genuine dialogue between all stakeholders, including the ethnic groups and the opposition;
3. Expresses its serious concerns that election laws as published in early March do not provide for free and fair elections;
4. Calls upon the authorities of Burma/Myanmar to put an end to violations of international human rights and humanitarian law;
5. Calls upon the authorities of Burma/Myanmar to take steps to bring about a peaceful transition to a democratic, civilian and inclusive system of government;
6. Urges the authorities of Burma/Myanmar to engage more with the international community, to work towards a peaceful transition to democracy;
7. Calls on the authorities of Burma/Myanmar to heed the appeals of the international community to allow Aung San Suu Kyi and all other prisoners of conscience to participate in the political process;
8. Reiterates its call for the release of the political prisoners and detainees, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi;
9. Calls on the authorities of Burma/Myanmar to immediately allow medical treatment to all political prisoners, and allow the International Committee of the Red Cross to resume visits to political prisoners;
10. Welcomes the recommendation of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Burma that the United Nations establish a commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma, and includes this is the draft resolution at the United Nations General Assembly this year.
11. Expresses its strong support for the continued work of EU Special Envoy and invites the Burma/Myanmar authorities to cooperate fully with him.
12. Welcomes the Council's intention to extend the restrictive measures provided for in the current EU Decision by another year and underlines its readiness to revise, amend or reinforce the measures already adopted in light of developments on the ground;
13. Calls on the European Commission to reverse cuts to funding for refugees on the Thailand Burma border, and immediately start funding cross border aid, especially medical assistance;
14. Reiterates calls for a settlement of the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh; urges the Burmese government to authorize their official registration as refugees and the Bangladesh authorities to stop any forms of persecution of the Rohingya and to fully respect their fundamental rights as religious and ethnic minority;
15. Calls for a more unified United Nations led international approach to Burma, rather than multiple unilateral initiatives;
16. Calls on the international community to renew efforts to secure genuine tripartite dialogue between Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy, genuine ethnic representatives, and the government of Burma;
17. Welcomes the European Union’s support for a global arms embargo and urges European governments and the European Commission to start actively working to build a global consensus for such a ban;
18. Welcomes the ASEAN Chairman's statement of 9 April 2010 from the 16th Summit, which underscored the importance of national reconciliation in Myanmar and the holding of the general election in a free, fair and inclusive manner;
19. Welcomes statements from individual ASEAN members, as well as Japan, on the need for release of all political prisoners and detainees, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi;
20. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the to the HR/VP Mrs. Ashton, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the governments of the ASEAN and ASEM member states and the ASEM secretariat.