§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will increase the aid presently administered through the Burma Border Consortium to the Karen people suffering as refugees along the Thai/Burmese border.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyThe Burma Border Consortium have received grants from Her Majesty's Government totalling £285,000 over the past three years for relief distribution along the Thai/Burma border. The grant increased from £35,000 in Financial Year 1993–94 to £100,000 in 1994–95 and to £150,000 in 1995–96. No request for further assistance has been received for the current financial year. We will sympathetically consider any such request. The EU has recently announced a contribution of 700,000 ecus for the Thai/Burma border, which covers the purchase of food items and distribution.
§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will seek to persuade the Government of Burma to allow access by humanitarian and human rights organisations to all parts of the territory of Burma to monitor the situation, and to take supplies to those in need.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyOfficials have repeatedly pressed the Burmese authorities to allow humanitarian and human rights organisations to operate freely in Burma. We were closely involved in the drafting of the recent UN Commission on Human Rights resolution on Burma, which invited the ruling military regime in Burma to "respect its obligations under the Geneva Conventions of 12th August 1949 and to avail itself of such services as may be offered by impartial humanitarian bodies".
§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Answers given by Lord Fraser of Carmyllie on 19th March 1996 (WA94 and WA95) and Baroness Chalker of Wallasey on 23rd May 1996 (WA106), whether they will take steps to impose 169WA sanctions (including the discouragement of British investment under current conditions) upon the Government of Burma to secure its compliance with international human rights standards and to encourage it to implement democratic reforms.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyWe have already taken a number of measures along with our EU partners including an embargo on arms sales, defence links and non-humanitarian aid. However, we do not think we should cut off trade with Burma. Depriving Burma of trade will do nothing to help the Burmese people, who need economic as well as political reform. Trade can also help us reinforce our pressure on the Burmese authorities to implement democratic reforms and respect human rights.