1,600 Call On Prime Minister David Cameron to Take the Lead on Burma
Staff and volunteers at Burma Campaign UK today deliver 1,657 letters to 10 Downing Street, residence of British Prime Minister David Cameron.
The letters, from supporters of Burma Campaign UK, ask the Prime Minister to take the lead in pushing for strong and effective international action on Burma.
The hand-in comes four days before 22nd anniversary the 1988 democracy uprising in Burma, when thousands of pro-democracy protestors were killed by the dictatorship.
The letters request the Prime Minister to continue to prioritise Burma, and to take the lead on four key issues:
• Build support for a global consensus for a UN arms embargo against Burma.
• Persuade EU partners to support UN Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma.
• Work to build international support for a UN led process persuading the dictatorship to enter into genuine dialogue with Burma’s democracy movement and ethnic groups.
• Maintain planned increases of aid to Burma, and increase cross-border humanitarian aid for internally displaced people.
“David Cameron has already shown that he sees Burma as a priority,” said Mary Hla, Campaigns Officer at Burma Campaign UK. ‘We hope he will take the lead in building support for practical steps. When he goes to the UN General Assembly in September he has the opportunity to push for them to establish a Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma.”
“While the international community focuses on fake elections hoping for change that won’t happen, the human rights situation in Burma is getting worse,” said Seng Pan, Campaigner at Burma Campaign UK. ‘The British government is one of the few not to fall for the regime’s election lies. Now we hope the Prime Minister will take the next step in pushing for the international community to unite behind a UN-led initiative to get the dictatorship into dialogue with the democracy movement and ethnic representatives. This dialogue will bring change, not fake elections.”
For more information contact Mary Hla or Seng Pan 020 7324 4710
In these pictures:
Zoya Phan, Seng Pan, Mary Hla, Than Than Soe and Jackie San.
Copyright © James Mackay / enigmaimages.net
