HC Deb 08 January 2003 vol 397 cc251-2WS
Mrs. Spelman

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department gave through multilateral agencies in(a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002 to (i) the Government of Burma and (ii) the Burmese internally displaced people. [88771]

Clare Short

In calendar year 2000 my Department provided approximately £1.8 million through global funding of the UN and ECHO for poor and vulnerable people in Burma. The figures for 2001 and 2002 are not yet available. We also gave humanitarian funding to ICRC in support of its work with the very vulnerable and war affected in Burma. Additionally, we provided humanitarian funding for UNHCR and WHO in support of their work with refugees and the very vulnerable within Burma and across the Thai border. The breakdown by financial years is as follows:

£ million
2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 (to date)
UNHCR 0 0.805 0.407
WHO 0.3 0 0.27
ICRC 0 0.8 0.5

Mrs. Spelman

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department is proposing to give in 2003 to(a) the Government of Burma and (b) the Burmese internally displaced people. [88772]

Clare Short

DFID's funding to assist the poor in Burma is not channelled through the Government but through selected non-governmental organisations, United Nation's agencies, and the EU (ECHO). This policy will not be altered unless there is substantive political change.

During 2003–04 DFID expects to spend more than £2 million on the extremely vulnerable including refugees and otherwise displaced people within Burma and on both sides of the border with Thailand.

Mrs. Spelman

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the use of child soldiers in Burma. [88774]

Clare Short

There is credible information, including from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the United Nations that this is a serious problem in Burma, both with the Burmese army and also Burmese insurgent groups. In November, the EU co-sponsored a resolution on Burma at the United Nations General Assembly that expressed grave concern over the human rights situation in Burma, including the use of child soldiers.

Mrs. Spelman

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of human rights abuses by Burmese soldiers, with particular reference to sexual violence against ethnic minority women and girls. [88775]

Clare Short

The use of sexual violence by members of the Burmese armed forces requires a thorough and independent investigation. The EU co-sponsored a resolution on the human rights situation in Burma in November 2002 at the United Nations General Assembly that condemned the Burmese regime's human rights record, including the instances of sexual violence by members of the armed forces.

Mrs. Spelman

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has held with(a) groups working in Burma and (b) the Burmese internally displaced people. [88776]

Clare Short

None.