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Burma

Volume 404: debated on Monday 28 April 2003

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To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning the effect of EU sanctions on human rights violations in Burma; and if he will make a statement.[108446]

The EU Common Position has been effective in keeping up international pressure for the Burmese regime to improve its unacceptable record of human rights violations. There have been some very minor improvements since 2000 such as the release of some political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and improved co-operation with the United Nations. However, the overall situation remains of grave concern. UK policy will remain firm until the military regime irreversibly commits to national reconciliation, respect for human rights and democracy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with EU colleagues concerning future action against the Burmese Government in the event of continuing human rights violations in Burma.[108447]

The EU Common Position comes up for renewal before 29 April 2003. Discussion within the European Union is ongoing including at ministerial level, concerning the European Union's assessment of the situation in Burma. The human rights situation is an important part of this discussion and a key factor in deciding if/how the European Union Common Position should be amended to best press for political change in Burma.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with representatives of (a) the State Peace and Development Council and (b) the National League for Democracy concerning political repression in Burma. [108448]

On 7 March I met the Burmese Ambassador to the UK to express my concern over the deteriorating political, economic, humanitarian and human rights situation in Burma. I explained that UK policy may have to toughen unless the military authorities take action to move the political process forward.I am in regular telephone contact with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. We have agreed that the overall level of repression in Burma remains a cause of grave concern and that the military regime must act quickly to move Burma towards national reconciliation, respect for human rights and democracy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have received from supporters of Aung San Suu Kyi concerning her (a) current condition and (b) treatment at the hands of the Burmese Government. [108449]

I am in regular telephone contact with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. She remains resolute and hopeful that democracy in Burma is achievable. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is able to travel and operate relatively freely. On 6 April she undertook a visit to Chin State where large crowds met her. There have been some instances where local authorities have obstructed Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's visits, most notably in Northern Rakhine State in December 2002. As a result of the problems encountered in Northern Rakhine State, the UK and EU have issued statements expressing concern and calling for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's freedom to travel and operate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts are being made by the British Government to encourage a reduction in regional border tensions between Burma, Bangladesh and Thailand. [108450]

The EU co-sponsored a resolution on Burma at the United Nations General Assembly in November 2002 that pressed for the peaceful end to all conflicts in Burma. We are also in regular contact with the Governments of Bangladesh and Thailand to press the case for political progress in Burma. It is in the best interests of all Burma's neighbours that national reconciliation, respect for human rights and democracy is rapidly achieved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on co-operation between the British and Burmese authorities to stem the trade in illicit drugs produced in Burma. [108451]

The primary source of opium that is trafficked to the UK is from Afghanistan. There is no evidence of illicit drugs originating from Burma being trafficked to the UK in significant quantities.

Despite some co-operation with the United Nations on drug related issues, the Burmese authorities' response to the continued production and distribution of illicit drugs from the territory of Burma remain insufficient.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the State Peace and Development Council concerning the denial of full citizenship to ethnic and religious minorities in Burma. [108452]

In keeping with its attitude towards other human rights problems, the State Peace and Development Council does not accept that it has a problem concerning the denial of full citizenship rights to Burmese citizens. However, there is ample evidence that this is a serious problem, in particular given the refusal to grant full rights to many of the Muslim Rohinghyas who live in Rakhine State.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made concerning access for the UNHCR to all parts of Burma. [108453]

There has been some modest progress in access for UNHCR staff in Burma, such as in Northern Rakhine State. However, many areas of Burma remain off-limits to the United Nations and non-government organisations, in particular parts of the Thai/Burma border. I place a high priority on action to press for unhindered access to all parts of Burma for the United Nations and non-governmental organisations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the number of internally displaced people in Burma; and if he will make a statement. [108454]

Definitive figures are not available because international access is restricted in large areas of Burma. However, some estimates from non-government organisations have indicated that over 600,000 may be internally displaced in Burma. Despite the lack of accurate statistics, it is clear that this is a major problem and that the Burmese authorities must take action to stop fresh displacement of people and allow the safe resettlement of those currently internally displaced.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of any developments in the human rights situation in Burma since the adoption of the most recent UN Resolution in November 2002; and if he will make a statement. [108455]

Regrettably, we have not seen any substantive improvements in the overall human rights situation in Burma since the November 2002 resolution at the United Nations General Assembly. The military authorities have allowed a delegation from Amnesty International to visit Burma. But this has not yet led to an improvement in human rights adherence. I am also concerned that the pace of the release of political prisoners has slowed markedly and that there has been a significant increase in new detentions and arrests for political reasons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department intends to take in response to human rights violations and continued breach of UN resolutions on the part of the Burmese Government; and if he will make a statement. [108456]

The EU is currently drafting a resolution on the human rights situation in Burma for adoption at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights later this month. The UK is playing an active role in producing the draft. I believe it is important that the international community continues to make clear its abhorrence of the human rights violations in Burma and maintains pressure for the situation to be rapidly improved.The human rights situation will also be a key factor in the European Union's discussions concerning the renewal this month of the European Union Common Position on Burma. The Common Position contains a range of measures designed to bring pressure to bear on the military authorities to move towards national reconciliation, respect for human rights and democracy in Burma.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from (a) ASEAN nations, (b) NGOs and (c) UN member states concerning possible action to promote human rights in Burma; and if he will make a statement. [108457]

The FCO is in regular contact with ASEAN nations, non-governmental organisations and other members of the United Nations concerning the human rights situation in Burma. The successive resolutions passed on Burma at the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights confirm the international community's view that the situation is unacceptable and that rapid action is needed by the Burmese military authorities to improve their human rights record.HMG will continue to work for a collective approach within the international community to reduce and eliminate human rights violations in Burma.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to address the use of forced child labour in Burma. [108458]

The UK has been at the forefront of support for the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) effort to eliminate the use of forced labour in Burma. At the meeting of the ILO Governing Body in March 2003, the Presidency of the European Union, on behalf of the UK and other EU countries, expressed continuing concern that the Burmese regime had not made further progress on this issue and said that it was a lack of political will on behalf of the Burmese authorities that was the root cause of this. The UK fully supports the decision taken by the ILO to call for a plan of action to be agreed before the next meeting of the ILO Liaison Officer and the Burmese authorities on the steps required to reduce and eliminate forced labour in Burma.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations his Department has received from the Burmese Government concerning human rights violations; and if he will make a statement. [108459]

The Burmese military regime has not signed up to many of the United Nations instruments covering acceptable standards of human rights adherence and does not share our concern about the unacceptable level of human rights violations in Burma. We will continue to press bilaterally with the Burmese regime and in international fora for a rapid improvement in the situation. As part of this we will continue to press for democratic reform in Burma. It is only through the return of democracy and the rule of law that the underlying problems contributing to the human rights violations can be adequately addressed.