HC Deb 10 July 1996 vol 281 cc395-7
14. Mr. Soley

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what work his Department is doing in co—operation with other countries to protect human rights in Burma. [35174]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor

We remain deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Burma. With our EU partners and other like-minded states, we have taken action, both bilaterally and in international forums, to press the State Law and Order Restoration Council to implement human rights reforms. We shall continue to do so.

Mr. Soley

In view of the remarkable courage and commitment of Aung San and of the sad death in prison of Mr. Nichols, who was imprisoned for having a fax in his home, do we not have a duty to listen to democrats in Burma who have been asking for a ban on trade and investment? Bearing in mind the fact that this week we are feting Nelson Mandela and that we traded and invested in South Africa at a time when he was calling for us not to do so, is there not a lesson to be learned? Aung San, like Nelson Mandela, will win and we should back her.

Sir Nicholas Bonsor

It is always difficult to know whether it helps a country to ban trade with it, which can have disastrous effects on its poorer people, or to try to trade with it and open it up to better ways of running its affairs. We have a close relationship with Aung San Suu Kyi and her party and we listen closely to the messages that they send us. It is Government policy to continue to trade with Burma, because we do not believe that it would help the liberalisation process if we were not to do so. The level of trade with Burma is extremely low. Our exports last year amounted to £15 million. A ban would not make a huge impact one way or the other.

Mr. Anthony Coombs

Does my hon. Friend agree that, since Aung San Suu Kyi's release from house arrest, far from democratic reconciliation having taken place between SLORC and opposition parties, the level of oppression has, if anything, increased significantly? Given that Aung San Suu Kyi herself has said that European countries, and the international community generally, ought to discourage trade and investment in Burma, is it not time that the British Government gave a lead?

Sir Nicholas Bonsor

I can only repeat what I said to the hon. Member for Hammersmith (Mr. Soley). We keep these matters under review. We are watching the political situation closely, and paying particular attention to the freedom of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Mr. Fatchett

Does the Minister realise that his answer has gained no support from any hon. Member? Is it not now clear that the deterioration of the human rights regime in Burma is such that the United Kingdom should support the demand for trade sanctions? That is what the democrats in Burma want, and what the Danish Government want. Is it not time for Britain to join the campaign?

Is it not also clear that this Conservative Government have always got it wrong on sanctions? Was it not this Conservative Government alone who continued to oppose sanctions against South Africa? Their hypocrisy and shame are now clear for us all to see. Is it not time that they learned the lessons from South Africa, and took action to support the democrats and the people of Burma?

Sir Nicholas Bonsor

The present situation in South Africa illustrates the success of the policies pursued by Her Majesty's Government over the years. It is nonsense to suggest that sanctions are the only way to bring recalcitrant Governments to heel. In my experience, on most of the occasions when we have tried that method it has failed. We should try to achieve a balance between not inflicting too much damage on the people of the country concerned and putting sufficient pressure on its Government to reform their ways. That is what we attempt to do, but—as the hon. Gentleman would admit if he were honest—it is an extremely difficult task.

Mr. Jacques Arnold

Will my hon. Friend bear it in mind that, in the past, trade sanctions imposed for the best possible reasons have invariably led to our export contracts' being taken over by, for instance, the Italians, the French and the Japanese?

Sir Nicholas Bonsor

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Although I would not base our foreign policy on the fear that we may lose such contracts, it is nevertheless true that, when sanctions have been imposed—even by the international community—they have been broken by many countries that have undertaken to abide by them.