Burma (Hansard, 6 November 2003)

§ Bob Spink
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to persuade the Thai Government to lift its restrictions on cross-border aid to internally displaced people in Burma and on refugees from Burma entering Thailand. [135573]

§ Mr. Mike O'Brien
We believe that the Burmese regime's refusal to grant access to IDP areas is the biggest restriction on aid to internally displaced people in Burma. The Thai authorities have a long record of providing safe haven for those fleeing persecution by the Burmese regime. With our EU colleagues, we regularly engage with the Thai authorities on this issue.

§ Bob Spink
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Thailand's roadmap for democracy in Burma. [135574]

§ Mr. Mike O'Brien
The UK welcomes and is supportive of Thai efforts to encourage the Burmese military regime to enter into substantive genuine818W dialogue with democratic and ethnic minority leaders in Burma leading to national reconciliation. We believe that Thailand's proposal forms a good basis on which to build from.

§ Bob Spink
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise the issue of the Burmese Government's atrocities against the Karen, Karenni and Shan people at the UN Security Council. [135575]

§ Mr. Mike O'Brien
The Government are encouraging all the appropriate bodies of the UN to tackle the issue of helping bring about national reconciliation, respect for human rights and democracy in Burma. Should Burma feature on the UN Security Council agenda, the Government would ensure that the plight of Burma's ethnic groups was taken fully into account.
We regularly raise Burma, including the plight of Burma's ethnic groups, bilaterally with our Security Council partners, but there is currently no agreement that Burma should be discussed by the Security Council.

§ Bob Spink
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account the Government takes of the Burmese Army's atrocities against the(a) Karen, (b) Karenni and (c) Shan people in their decision-making; and what sanctions regime against Burma the Government will adopt. [135576]

§ Mr. Mike O'Brien
Together with the international community, we recognise that the resolution of the ethnic nationality issue is an essential ingredient in any possible solution to Burma's problems. The disproportionate violation of human rights suffered by ethnic groups has been highlighted by successive UN resolutions and were included in the European Union Council Conclusions on Burma when the EU decided to strengthen the Common Position in April 2003. We are currently discussing with EU colleagues what additional measures we may take to encourage national reconciliation, respect for human rights and democracy in Burma.

§ Bob Spink
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government is taking to raise concerns with the Burmese regime regarding the Burmese military's deployment of land mines in(a) Karen, (b) Karenni and (c) Shan civilian areas; and if he will make a statement. [135791]

§ Mr. Mike O'Brien
Continued fighting between the Burmese Army and armed ethnic groups, which includes the use of land mines by both sides, is the cause of on-going suffering among the ordinary people in these areas. Ethnic groups, including the Karen, Karenni, and Shan, suffer disproportionately.
The UK co-sponsors resolutions in the UN General assembly (UNGA) and UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) condemning the military regime's actions against the ethnic groups.