Burma (Hansard, 23 May 2002)

§ Mr. Luke
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with foreign Ministers in other countries about future strategies to be adopted in partnership aimed at encouraging peaceful democratic change in Burma. [58024]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
Burma is a frequent topic of multilateral and bilateral discussion at ministerial and official level within the EU as well as key members of the international community. I took the opportunity to discuss Burma with ministerial colleagues in Singapore and Brunei during my visit to south east Asia. I impressed on them the importance of maintaining pressure on the Burmese regime to take meaningful progress on democratic reform.

§ John Barrett
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he plans to impose sanctions against Burma as a result of military action on behalf of the Burmese Army against Karen, Kaenni and Shan people. [57662]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
In response to the overall political and human rights situation in Burma, the EU Common Position contains an arms embargo, a ban on high level visits, a ban on the export of items that may be used for 533W torture, a ban on non-humanitarian assistance and an asset freeze and visa ban on senior members of the regime. The European Commission suspended Burma's trading privileges in 1997 in response to concerns over forced labour. In addition HMG discourages trade, investment and tourism with Burma.
The EU Common Position was extended for a further period of six months in April 2002. It will only be relaxed when there is substantive progress towards national reconciliation in Burma.

§ John Barrett
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government are taking to help bring democracy to Burma. [57659]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
The Government have played a leading role in the EU and the UN in pressing for substantive political change in Burma. In April, the EU Common Position was renewed unchanged for a further period of six months and an EU-sponsored resolution on the human rights situation in Burma was adopted by consensus at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
The release from house arrest of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is a welcome step forward. But it is only one of many needed. We will continue to press for national reconciliation, respect for human rights and democracy in Burma.

§ John Barrett
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his latest estimate is of the number of Karen, Kaenni and Shan people(a) internally displaced and (b) killed as a result of military action against them by the Burmese Army in the last 12 months. [57663]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
Exact figures are not available as international access to many of the conflict areas is restricted or prevented by the military authorities. Recent UN estimates have indicated that up to 600,000 Burmese may be internally displaced.
It is even more difficult to gauge the number of people who have been killed as a result of fighting with the military authorities. That human rights abuses continue in Burma is not in doubt. The United Nations Commission on Human Rights adopted a consensus resolution on Burma in April sponsored by the EU, which detailed the scale of the problem and expressed its continuing grave concern.

§ John Barrett
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the level of military action taken by the Burmese Army against the Karen, Kaenni and Shan people following the release of Aung San Suu Kyi. [57658]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
The ethnic minorities in Burma suffer disproportionately due to the misrule of the Burmese authorities. The violence inflicted on the Karen, the Karenni and the Shan is on-going. The intensity of the fighting fluctuates, in part due to the climate of Burma, particularly the monsoon. We have consistently pressed the regime to move ahead on national reconciliation and urged all sides to resolve their differences through peaceful dialogue.
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§ John Barrett
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last made representations to(a) the Burmese Government and (b) other interested parties about the treatment of the Karen people by the Burmese army. [35792]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
We take every opportunity to impress upon the Burmese regime our deep concern about their treatment of the Karen and other ethnic minorities in Burma, including through our ambassador in Rangoon and visiting officials. The UK co-sponsored a United Nations Commission on Human Rights resolution on Burma in April 2002 and, as part of the EU, we shall co-sponsor a similar resolution at the United Nations General Assembly in November. We have also drawn our concerns to the attention of the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma and the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Burma.