EU and UN must act on Burma - Liz Lynne

5.39.06pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 28th Mar 2006

The European Union and the United Nations must do more to tackle human rights and humanitarian problems in Burma, Liz Lynne MEP said today.

Speaking at a roundtable on EU-Burma relations in Brussels, Liz Lynne said that despite repeated European Parliament resolutions, forced labour, political intimidation, rape, persecution and other human rights abuses continue on a daily basis under Burma's military regime.

Outlining the European Parliament's position, she called for UN economic sanctions, a high-ranking EU envoy to be appointed and member states to review relations with Burma.

Today's roundtable was attended by campaigners, political and humanitarian activists, and experts on Burma, who debated whether the EU should pursue a policy of sanctions or engagement with the country.

Liz Lynne, who is a member of the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights and the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation, said:

"The sad reality is that Burma does not make headline news these days. The danger with on-going human rights and humanitarian problems is that the world switches off. That's why it's so important that we make every effort to keep this issue prominent."

"Since 2002 the European Parliament has adopted no fewer than six urgency resolutions on this topic - no other topic has received such frequent attention. But sadly little has changed."

"Now the EU must strengthen its strategy on Burma. We need to continue our tough approach and our policy of sanctions. The Burmese military junta must be left in no doubt that the EU will not tolerate its brutal and oppressive tactics."

" But at the same time we need to do more to support change from within the country, by working with people on the ground and by encouraging dialogue and reform at a local level. The people of Burma have been suffering for a long time: we must do everything we can to support them."

ENDS