B4-0731, 0733, 0742, 0760 and 0778/98

Resolution on human rights violations in Burma

The European Parliament,

16/07/98

- having regard to its previous resolutions on Burma,

A. deeply concerned about the ongoing violations of human rights committed by the dictatorial government and its military authorities, which are to be considered as a crime against humanity,

B. condemning the ongoing obstruction against the democratic opposition, as well as the increasing harassment of itsmembers including the reported imprisonment of 50 elected representatives and the obligation on other elected representatives to report to the nearest police station twice a day,

C. whereas there are 300 000 internally displaced Karen people in Burma on the run from the Burmese army,

D. very concerned by the systematic destruction of Karen villages by the Burmese armed forces and by the policy of repression practised by the military against other minorities such as the Naga and the Shan,

E. concerned by the attitude of the Burmese authorities who force their people to work on construction projects, such as those for gas pipelines, and to transport ammunition and food for the Burmese army which does not hesitate to shoot those who are too exhausted to carry out these tasks,

F. condemning the systematic rape of Karen women and women from other minorities by Burmese soldiers,

G. deeply concerned by the massacres and ethnic cleansing and the destruction of food stores suffered by the Karen, Naga, Shan, Mon, Karenni and Kachin peoples,

H. deeply concerned at the growing numbers of Karen and Shan refugees in Thailand as a result of the persecution by the military regime in Rangoon and the attacks by the Burmese army against the refugee camps,

I. noting that the EU/ASEAN Joint Committee has failed to meet because no solution could be achieved regarding the participation of a Burmese delegation,

1. Reiterates its condemnation of the military dictatorship and the atrocities it has committed;

2. Calls on the UN Human Rights Commissioner, Mary Robinson, to send permanent observers to investigate the human rights situation in the areas inhabited by the oppressed minorities in the region and the atrocities committed by the Burmese authorities;

3. Calls on the Burmese authorities to put an immediate end to the practices of ethnic cleansing and forced relocation of members of ethnic minorities and to do everything possible to allow these people to return to live in their villages and areas in total safety;

4. Calls on the Burmese authorities to stop their cross-border raids on refugee camps in Thailand;

5. Calls for a further strengthening of support for the democratic opposition in Burma by all means available to the EU, its Member States and international institutions;

6. Reiterates its request to the Burmese authorities to haltimmediately the practices of persecution and intimidation against the leaders of the democratic opposition, and in particular against Mrs Aung San Suu Kyi, and to release elected representatives immediately;

7. Calls on the Commission and the Council to implement full economic sanctions against Burma and to prohibit any investment until the Rangoon regime has stopped the serious violations of human rights;

8. Calls on the United Nations Security Council to implement global economic sanctions against Burma;

9. Calls on the Thai Government to give better protection to refugee camps along the Thai/Burmese border, to recognize refugees as such and to allow them entry from Burma, and not to expatriate them forcibly;

10. Calls on the Thai Government to guarantee the UN Human Rights Commissioner full access to the refugee camps along the Thai/Burmese border;

11. Calls on the Burmese military regime to allow the UN Special Rapporteur on Burma to visit the country freely and to carry out his mandate, by guaranteeing him full access to the regions inhabited by the Karen and other regions inhabited by oppressed minorities;

12. Calls on foreign companies which have invested in Burma, such as Total and Premier Oil, to freeze their investments forthwith;

13. Calls for Burma to be excluded from EU/ASEAN Joint Committee meetings;

14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States, the UN Secretary-General and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Burmese and Thai authorities.