The Burma Campaign UK today warmly welcomed Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s statement calling for the United Nations Security Council, and European Union, to discuss the current crisis in Burma. The Burma Campaign UK and other Burma pro-democracy organisations around the world have been calling for both these steps.
“We are delighted that Gordon Brown is personally taking this initiative on Burma,” said Mark Farmaner, Acting Director of the Burma Campaign UK. “This is a major breakthrough. The Prime Minister has backed both our key demands, for Security Council discussions, and EU discussions. It is also very significant that he is pledging to personally raise Burma with his counterparts. We have been calling for this for many years. Tony Blair never raised Burma in meetings with world leaders. We hope this is the first step in a much more proactive approach to Burma by the UK government. It is the first good news we have had in a long time.”
The British government and European Union have been coming under increasing pressure to take action, following the arrests and crackdown on peaceful protestors in Burma began on August 21st. On Tuesday the Burma Campaign UK held its first protest at the UK foreign office in more than a decade, as the foreign office had seemed content to merely issue statements of concern. On Friday campaigners in 15 countries took part in a day of action calling for EU ministers to discuss Burma when they meet on 7th September.
More than 150 peaceful protestors have been detained in the past two weeks. On Tuesday 4th September there will be an international 24 hour hunger strike in solidarity with 41 detainees who are on hunger strike in an attempt to force the regime in Burma to allow medical care for one of their number, whose leg was broken when he was attacked by a regime militia. Activists from almost twenty countries on four continents are expected to take part.
For more information contact Mark Farmaner on 020 7324 4713.
The Prime Minister’s statement follows:
Foreign and Commonwealth Office (National)
Burma: Prime Minister Statement
I deeply deplore the Burmese government’s violent supression 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.