Burma Campaign UK today welcomed the EU suspending the application of the visa ban against senior government officials as an appropriate and proportional measure in response to changes that have taken place in Burma.
However, Burma Campaign UK is deeply concerned by proposals being made privately by some EU member states and the External Action Service of the EU for much deeper or even complete relaxation of sanctions, even the arms embargo. EU sanctions on Burma are due for renewal in April.
EU Foreign Ministers met on 23rd January to discuss Burma policy. The Council conclusions issued by EU Foreign Ministers are relentlessly upbeat, glossing over or ignoring potential problems. This appears designed to pave the way for a much deeper relaxation of sanctions, which cannot be justified by steps taken so far by the military-backed government. Premature relaxation of sanctions risks marginalising European influence.
Burma Campaign UK has produced a Briefing Paper analysing the Council conclusions, available here.
The EU does not have the broad scale and depth of sanctions which the USA has, and so has additional reason to be careful in calibrating its response. To give away too many sanctions too soon removes what little leverage the EU has. This will more likely discourage further change, rather than encourage it, and the EU will be sidelined in its influence. The EU has flexibility to change its sanctions regime at any time, not just in April when the annual renewal takes places. There is no need for a premature rush to remove all or most sanctions in April.
“Sanctions are an important tool for encouraging further change in Burma, but to give away too many sanctions too soon could undermine incentives for deeper and more fundamental political reforms in Burma,” said Anna Roberts, Executive Director of Burma Campaign UK. “There are reasons for hope, but reasons to be cautious as well. Ignoring every lesson they should have learnt in dealing with Burma over the decades, many EU members appear to be throwing caution to the wind.”
There are welcome changes in Burma, but so far no repressive laws have been repealed and no power or control relinquished by the government or military. There is not yet any inclusive political process for dialogue towards a transition to democracy and national reconciliation, or to tackle the root cause of conflict in ethnic areas.
A background Briefing Paper on EU Sanctions on Burma, ‘The European Union and Burma’ is available here.