§ Jane GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Burmese Government regarding Thet Win Aung, who is sentenced to 60 years imprisonment. [174390]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThet Win Aung is among a large number of political prisoners in Burma. Amnesty International estimate that there are 1,300 to 1,400, many of them prisoners of conscience.
We have repeatedly called on the Burmese regime to release fully all political prisoners and to allow them to play an active role in national reconciliation in Burma. We shall continue to do so. Their plight was most recently raised in April's UK co-sponsored UN Commission on Human Rights resolution.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Burmese regime over the military offensives in(a) northern Karen and (b) Karenni state; and if he will make a statement. [174558]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienWe have not made recent representations on this subject because contacts with the Burmese regime are irregular. However, human rights violations have been highlighted by successive highly critical UK and EU co-sponsored UN Resolutions, most recently at the UN Commission on Human Rights on 21 April 2004. This referred to the violations of human rights suffered in particular by persons belonging to ethnic minorities, women and children, especially in non-ceasefire areas and the situation of the large number of internally displaced persons as well as the flow of refugees to neighbouring countries. It emphasised the obligations of Burma under international law to pursue through dialogue and peaceful means the immediate suspension and permanent end of conflict with all ethnic groups in the country and to conclude a ceasefire agreement with the Karen National Union (KNU). The Burmese regime knows how critical we are of their Human Rights abuses.
We are, however, encouraged by the recent verbal ceasefire agreement between the regime and the KNU and hope that this will lead to a lasting peace settlement.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to urge the European Union to strengthen sanctions against Burma in response to the atrocities against the Karen, Karenni and Shan peoples by the Burmese military. [174559]
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§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe UK and its European partners follow events in Burma closely. We remain willing to support a genuine process of national reconciliation, leading to the restoration of democracy and full respect for human rights in Burma.
We share the view of a number of international partners that the best interests of all the people of Burma continue to be served by targeted measures against those responsible for the obstruction of reform and progress, together with humanitarian support to ensure that the ordinary people of Burma do not suffer as a result of the damaging policies of their government.
EU Foreign Ministers agreed on 26 April 2004 to maintain the Common Position on Burma for a further 12 months. We believe that this will maintain pressure on the regime. We are closely monitoring the National Convention process and stand ready to respond proportionately to future developments in Burma, positive or negative.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to recognise the actions taken by the Burmese military against the(a) Karen, (b) Karenni and (c) Shan peoples as (i) war crimes and (ii) crimes against humanity. [174560]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe British Government is one of the strongest critics of the Burmese regime's abuses of human rights. We are aware of a consistent pattern of serious violations over many years, particularly against the ethnic groups. These have been highlighted in successive EU co-sponsored resolutions on Burma in the United Nations General Assembly and UK co-sponsored resolutions in the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. But we do not consider that the atrocities constitute "war crimes" and "crimes against humanity", which have specific definitions under international law. Nor does the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma. Professor Sergio Pinheiro, who has regular access to Burma, used these terms to describe the situation there.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to raise the Burmese military actions against the Karen, Karenni and Shan peoples at the UN Security Council. [174561]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienWe have raised our concerns about the security situation in Burma and the resulting human rights violations with our Security Council Partners. However, there is no consensus at present to bring Burma before the Security Council.
Atrocities against ethnic groups in Burma have been highlighted in successive EU co-sponsored UN Resolutions on Burma, most recently at the UN Commission on Human Rights on 21 April 2004.
§ Tom CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on relationships with the military Government in Burma; and if he will make a statement. [175171]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienWe have full diplomatic relations with Burma and continue to press the military regime to enter into a substantive and genuine dialogue with all political parties and ethnic groups in Burma leading to national reconciliation, democratisation and full respect1358W for human rights. We fully respect the decision of the National League for Democracy (NLD) not to participate in the constitutional convention which opened in Rangoon on 17 May 2004 and urge the regime to reconsider the NLD's reasonable requests. We have repeatedly called on the regime to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD's Vice Chairman U Tin Oo from house arrest, to release all political prisoners, and to reopen all NLD offices in Burma.