Letter to the Chairman of the Committee
from the Head, Parliamentary Relations Team, Foreign and Commonwealth
Office
The Foreign Affairs Committee has long taken
a keen and detailed interest in the appalling situation in Burma.
I know that members of the Committee will, therefore, have been
closely following the events there over the past fortnight. It
is, of course, a rapidly changing situation both in terms of events
on the ground and the international response to those events.
The Foreign Secretary intends to submit a written statement to
the House on Monday 8 October. In the meantime I wanted to write
to you setting out what the UK has been doing since the crisis
began and the action we are now taking.
In the middle of August reports came through
of popular protests against a dramatic rise in fuel prices—a
measure that had severe implications for the already impoverished
Burmese people. The protests were swiftly followed by arrests
of pro-democracy activists, in response to which I issued an immediate
statement calling for their release (FLAG A[1]).
During his visit to China at the end of the month, my colleague
Lord Malloch-Brown raised Burma with his opposite number, Zhang
Yesui. On 2 September the Prime Minister made a comprehensive
statement in which he made clear that the UK would push for urgent
and co-ordinated international action on Burma (FLAG B[2]);
a commitment followed through by the Foreign Secretary when he
raised this issue at the Gymnich six days later.
As the extraordinary images of tens of thousands
of monks and ordinary citizens marching through the streets of
Rangoon began to filter out of Burma, the Foreign Secretary appeared
on television expressing our solidarity with the protesters and
warning the regime that it would be judged by how it responded
to this peaceful movement.
Sadly the response of the regime—which
it tried, unsuccessfully, to hide from the outside world—was
one of violence and brutality. The security forces turned their
guns on unarmed demonstrators. We cannot be sure how many have
been killed, but as the Prime Minister has said, we believe that
it is likely to be far more than the regime has admitted so far.
Monks and opposition leaders have been beaten and arrested. Many
remain in detention and in appalling conditions. Our Ambassador
in Rangoon and his team, working under difficult conditions, continue
to monitor and report on the situation. A dedicated crisis team
has been established in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's
emergency response centre.
Our strategy has been to build and strengthen
the international condemnation of the regime and its actions,
particularly among Burma's closest neighbours. In the past few
days, the Prime Minister has discussed Burma with President Bush,
Premier Wen Jiabao, Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and other world
leaders. The Foreign Secretary took the opportunity presented
by the gathering of foreign ministers at the UN in New York to
press both European and Association of South East Asian (ASEAN)
colleagues. That personal engagement helped lay the foundations
for a strongly worded statement by ASEAN nations (FLAG C[3])
in which they expressed their revulsion for the actions of the
regime, as well as for an equally strong letter from the Chair
of ASEAN, the Singaporean Prime Minister to the head of the Burmese
junta. I have been in contact with a number of ASEAN colleagues
to explain our position and to urge them to remain firm in their
support for regional and international action.
At the same time we have mobilised the full
resources of our diplomatic network in order to help galvanise
that regional and international response. On Thursday 27 September,
we instructed all of our overseas posts to explain our position
to their host governments and to lobby for effective action. We
have also been pushing hard in multilateral forums. We call for
a Special Session of the UN Human Rights Council on Burma. It
was held yesterday, with both the EU and the UK FLAG D[4])
condemning the regime's actions in the strongest possible terms.
The resulting resolution was forceful and unequivocal (FLAG E[5]):
and was adopted unanimously by all 47 members including near neighbours
of Burma such as China, India, the Philippines and Indonesia.
The Council decided to send the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights
in Burma, Professor Sergio Pinheiro, on an urgent mission to the
country to report on the human rights situation; and it made clear
that the international community strongly deplored the continuing
violent repression of peaceful demonstrations in Burma—including
beatings, killings, and arbitrary detentions—and called
on the regime to release all political detainees and to lift all
restraints on peaceful political activity.
Within the EU we have been working with our
partners to strengthen sanctions against the regime. Earlier today
the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) met to discuss
this issue. There was widespread support not only to strengthen
existing measures but also to look for new measures that will
add to the pressure on the regime. The GAERC on 15 October should
announce a package of tougher sanctions. These will aim to have
an impact on the regime itself and those that benefit from its
policies, not the ordinary people of Burma.
There has, understandably, been a lot of focus
on the role that China can play in resolving the current crisis.
China is not the only country that needs to play a significant
part in the global response—India, Russia and the ASEAN
nations are all important. But there is no doubt that China has
a unique ability to bring about positive political change in Burma.
We have focused on engaging with them to urge restraint and dialogue
with political opposition. In addition to the Prime Minister's
conversation with Premier Wen, the Foreign Secretary has spoken
to Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi. Our Ambassador in Beijing, with
his French counterpart, has also lobbied the Chinese government.
The Chinese do recognise that they are one of the few countries
who have meaningful influence over the leaders of the military
regime: and that a year before they host the Olympic Games, the
world will be watching to see how they use that influence. They
have already facilitated the visit of the UN Secretary General's
Special Envoy to Burma, Professor Ibrahim Gambari. We hope they
will continue to support the wider efforts to promote peace and
stability in Burma.
The Government has set out what should happen
next. Firstly, an end to the violence and the release of all political
detainees with the regime giving its full co-operation to Professor
Gambari to put a process of genuine reconciliation in place. That
process must have Daw Aung San Suu Kyi playing a central role.
It will need to include the leaders from opposition and minority
groups, and it will need to have international legitimacy. That
would give a chance to address the concerns of the monks and other
demonstrators without further violence or bloodshed. We are glad
that Professor Gambari was able to meet Aung San Suu Kyi as well
as members of the Military junta. Aung San Suu Kyi alone holds
the moral and political authority to bring together all Burmese
including the ethnic groups and all elements of the democratic
opposition.
The focus of our efforts in the next few days
will be to build support for this process in the international
community and to increase the pressure on the Burmese regime to
recognise it as the only course of action they can take. At the
same time we will continue to look at what further action we can
take within the European Union to exert influence on the regime:
and we will do everything we can to ensure that the ongoing tragedy
in Burma remains at the top of the international agenda.
Finally, in the commentary surrounding events
in Burma there has been some discussion, and some inaccurate comment,
about levels of UK trade and investment. I draw colleagues' attention
to the statement by the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise
and Regulatory Reform, John Hutton MP which said that:
"The Government discourages trade and investment
with Burma.
The Government wants UK businesses to source
goods from markets other than Burma, especially in sectors which
the ruling elite are involved. Timber, gems and precious metals
in particular are businesses that have links to the regime.
Every business that has dealings with Burma should
consider very carefully the harmful consequences of directly or
indirectly enriching a government in Burma that has a brutal human
rights record.
UK businesses have negligible investments in
Burma and imports from the country are falling away rapidly."
3 October 2007
FLAG A
BURMA: ARRESTS
OF DEMOCRACY
ACTIVISTS (22/08/07)
Commenting on the arrests of a number of Burmese
democracy activists last night, FCO Minister, Meg Munn said:
"The British Government condemns the detention
of a number of Burma's `1988 Generation' student leaders on the
evening of 21/22 August. Those detained, and their colleagues,
have exercised their right to peaceful protest at the harsh economic
burdens being heaped on the long-suffering Burmese people. We
support their call for the restoration of democracy and genuine
political dialogue. We urge the Burmese government to free them
immediately".
FLAG B
BURMA: CRACKDOWN
ON PEACEFUL
DEMONSTRATIONS (02/09/07)
Statement by the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown:
"I deeply deplore the Burmese government's
violent suppression of peaceful demonstrations. I call upon the
Burmese authorities to release immediately all those detained
merely for protesting at the hardship imposed on them by the government's
economic mismanagement and failure to uphold fundamental human
rights. I also reiterate the British Government's call for the
release of all political prisoners, including Nobel Prize winner,
Aung San Suu Kyi who has now spent almost 12 years of her life
under house arrest.
As the lives of ordinary Burmese people continue
to deteriorate, it is all the more important that all countries
and organisations with an influence over the regime impress upon
the generals the need for an early transition to democratic rule,
full respect for human rights and genuine national reconciliation.
I support calls for the grave situation in Burma
to be considered by the UN Security Council at the earliest opportunity.
I also call for the UN General Assembly to address this issue.
We give our full support to the efforts of the
UN Secretary-General's good offices mission. It is time for the
UN human rights bodies to give this alarming situation the attention
it so patently deserves.
I am asking the Foreign Secretary to discuss
this issue with our European partners next week.
I will seek an early opportunity to raise the
situation in Burma with my counterparts in the key regional countries
and with our partners in the EU and the US."
FLAG C
BURMA: STATEMENT
BY ASEAN CHAIR
Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs, George
Yeo, New York (27/09/07)
The ASEAN Foreign Ministers had a full and frank
discussion on the situation in Myanmar at their Informal Meeting
this morning in the UN and agreed for the Chair to issue this
Statement. They were appalled to receive reports of automatic
weapons being used and demanded that the Myanmar government immediately
desist from the use of violence against demonstrators.
They expressed their revulsion to Myanmar Foreign
Minister Nyan Win over reports that the demonstrations in Myanmar
are being suppressed by violent force and that there has been
a number of fatalities. They strongly urged Myanmar to exercise
utmost restraint and seek a political solution. They called upon
Myanmar to resume its efforts at national reconciliation with
all parties concerned, and work towards a peaceful transition
to democracy. The Ministers called for the release of all political
detainees including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
The ASEAN Foreign Ministers expressed their
concern to Minister Nyan Win that the developments in Myanmar
had a serious impact on the reputation and credibility of ASEAN.
They noted that Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has
spoken to his ASEAN counterparts over the past day, and will be
writing to Senior General Than Shwe.
The ASEAN Foreign Ministers gave their full
support to the decision of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to
send Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari to Myanmar. They welcomed FM
Nyan Win's assurance that a visa would be issued to Mr Gambari
in Singapore. They asked the Myanmar government to cooperate fully
and work with him. Mr Gambari's role as a neutral interlocutor
among all the parties can help defuse the dangerous situation.
The Ministers urged the Myanmar government to grant him full access
to all parties in Myanmar, as they had done in the past.
FLAG D
HUMAN RIGHTS
COUNCIL: UK INTERVENTION
Statement by Nick Thorne, Ambassador and Permanent
Representative of the United Kingdom (02/09/07)
Thank you Mr President. I fully support the
statement made by the Permanent Representative of Portugal on
behalf of the European Union. And we welcome this Special Session
of the Council.
The UK—like so many in this room—has
been appalled by the recent events in Burma. The Burmese regime
has tried to hide its violent suppression of its own people from
the outside world. But it has failed. We have seen all too vividly
the depths of its brutality: monks and opposition leaders beaten
and arrested; guns turned on peaceful demonstrators; civilians
killed on the streets. We cannot know how many have died already
but we fear, as others do, that the loss of life is far greater
than the regime has admitted. As we meet today, there are continuing
reports of further large-scale arrests and of beatings, killings
and disappearances in Rangoon and other cities.
The sense of revulsion is strong throughout
the world: condemnation of the regime has been clear and forceful
both here in Geneva and in the UN Nations Security Council and
General Assembly in New York. We urge the Burmese regime to heed
the voice of the international community, to end the violence
and to engage in a process of national reconciliation.
Those of us who have followed the human rights
situation in Burma, recognise this most recent and terrible crisis
as a product of a deeper tragedy in that country: the state has
been responsible for systematically abusing its citizens' fundamental
human rights over four decades. Forced labour, arbitrary killings,
the use of child soldiers and rape as a weapon of war, unlawful
detention and displacement—from all of which minority communities
suffer disproportionately—are commonplace. There are severe
restrictions of freedom of assembly, freedom of speech and freedom
of religion. The reports of the UN Special Rapporteur, Professor
Pinheiro have documented these manifold abuses in great detail.
The government of Burma has not only deprived
its people of their basic human rights, but driven them deeper
into poverty as they enrich themselves on their country's natural
resources. We are therefore concerned by the pleas from the World
Food Programme and other humanitarian actors about their ability
to gain access to all parts of Burma. Humanitarian assistance
must not be made hostage to politics.
We call again on the regime to end these widespread
abuses of human rights, to lift all restraints on peaceful political
activity and to respect fundamental freedoms and an independent
media.
There are two immediate steps that the regime
must take. First to the end the violence. But, just as importantly,
the regime must now give its full co-operation to UN Special Envoy
Ibrahim Gambari to put a process of genuine reconciliation in
place. That process must have Daw Aung San Suu Kyi playing a central
role, and include leaders from opposition and minority groups.
And it will need to have international legitimacy and support.
All with influence on the regime must press them now to agree
to this.
I welcome and support ASEAN's latest statement
expressing revulsion to the Burmese regime over reports that the
demonstrations are being suppressed by violent force and calling
upon them to resume efforts directed at national reconciliation.
Burma's neighbours have a unique ability to influence the future
of that country. It is right that they should be so actively involved.
I thank the High Commissioner for her statement
this morning and welcome the focus and attention that she and
her office are rightly placing on Burma. I also thank Professor
Pinheiro for his comments and assessment of the situation. We
encourage him to visit Burma immediately to further assess the
situation and to meet with the regime and opposition groups to
help facilitate a reconciliation process. We strongly urge the
Burmese regime to grant immediate access to him and to all other
special procedures of this Council who have requested visits.
I look forward to Professor Pinheiro's interim report to the 3rd
Committee on 24 October, and his further update to this Council
in December.
It has become commonplace in recent days to
say that the world is watching Burma. It is. But let us not forget
that Burma is watching us too. The Burmese regime is looking to
see whether we have the courage of our convictions. The Burmese
people are looking to us for hope and support at a time of dark
desperation. We must respond. And we must succeed. We will only
do so through united action from across the UN membership.
FLAG E
BURMA: RESOLUTION
OF THE
UNITED NATIONS
HUMAN RIGHTS
COMMITTEE
Passed by consensus (02/09/07)
Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar
The Human Rights Council,
Recalling GA res. 61/232 and CHR res. 2005/10,
Deeply concerned at the situation of human rights
in Myanmar,
Recalling that everyone has the right to take
part in the government of their country, directly or through freely
chosen representatives, the right to freedom of opinion and expression
and the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association,
(based on UDHR art. 21, 19 and 20)
Strongly deplores the continued violent repression
of peaceful demonstrations in Myanmar, including through beatings,
killings, arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances, expresses
condolences to the victims and their families, and urges the Government
of Myanmar to exercise utmost restraint and desist from further
violence against peaceful protesters;
Urges the Government of Myanmar to ensure full
respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, to end impunity
and to investigate and bring to justice perpetrators of human
rights violations, including for the recent violations of the
rights of peaceful protesters; (based on OP4a CHR2005/10 and on
OP3e GA61/232)
Urges the Government of Myanmar to release without
delay those arrested and detained as a result of the recent repression
of peaceful protests, as well as to release all political detainees
in Myanmar, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and to ensure that conditions
of detention meet international standards and include the possibility
of visiting any detainee; (based on OP4c and OP4f CHR2005/10 and
on 3f GA61/232)
Urges the Government of Myanmar to lift all
restraints on peaceful political activity of all persons by, inter
alia, guaranteeing freedom of peaceful assembly and association
and freedom of opinion and expression, including for free and
independent media, and to ensure unhindered access to information
for the people of Myanmar; (based on OP3 g) GA61/232 and on OP4b
CHR2005/ 10)
OP4bis Welcomes the decision of the Government
of Myanmar to receive a visit by the Special Advisor of the United
Nations Secretary General Ibrahim Gambari, and calls upon the
Government of Myanmar to cooperate fully with him.
Urges the Government of Myanmar to engage urgently
in a national dialogue with all parties with a view to achieving
genuine national reconciliation, democratisation and the establishment
of the rule of law; (based on OP4h CHR2005/ 10 and on OP4a GA61/232)
OP5bis Encourages the Government of Myanmar
and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to engage
in a dialogue with a view to ensuring full respect for all human
rights and fundamental freedoms;
OP5ter Urges the Government of Myanmar to cooperate
fully with humanitarian organizations, including by ensuring full,
safe and unhindered access of humanitarian assistance to all persons
in need throughout the country;
Requests the Special Rapporteur on the Situation
of Human Rights in Myanmar to monitor the implementation of this
resolution, including by seeking an urgent visit to Myanmar, and
to report to the resumed sixth session of the Human Rights Council,
and in this respect urges the Government of Myanmar to co-operate
with the Special Rapporteur;
Requests also the Special Rapporteur on the
Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar to inform the General Assembly
at its 62nd session on progress in this regard;
Decides to remain seized of this matter.
1 Ev 80 Back
2
Ev 81 Back
3
Ev 81 Back
4
Ev 81 Back
5
Ev 82 Back
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