B4-0485, 0547 and 0551/97

Resolution on the continuing human rights abuses in Burma

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on human rights in Burma and Burma's possible accession to ASEAN,

- having regard to the statement of the Presidency on behalf of the European Union of 30 May 1997 on the deterioration of the political situation in Burma,

A. whereas the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) has been recognized by the international community as being guilty of conducting a policy of complete disregard for human rights,

B. noting that the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in its fifty-third session expressed its deep concern at the continuing violations of human rights in Burma including extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, death in custody, torture, arbitrary and politically motivated arrest and detention, forced relocation, forced labour by children as well as adults, and the abuse of women and children by government agents and oppression of ethnic and religious minorities,

C. noting the report by the UN Commission for the rights of children according to which thousands of children die from the effects of beating, exhaustion or illness during forced labour,

D. deploring the fact that SLORC detained on 21 May 1997 more than 300 National League for Democracy (NLD) members, including 50 elected members of Parliament, to prevent them from attending a party gathering to mark the anniversary of its landslide victory in the 1990 elections,

E. saddened by the recent death in custody of the political prisoner Tim Shwe, a prominent member of the NLD, which again highlights the appalling prison conditions in Rangoon,

F. whereas Aung San Suu Kyi, a winner of Parliament's Sakharov Prize, has on several occasions called on the international community to impose political and economic sanctions on SLORC,

G. regretting the continued surveillance, restriction of movement, and other forms of intimidation of Aung San Suu Kyi and senior NLD leaders, and since September 1996 the almost permanent blockade of the house of Aung San Suu Kyi which has prevented her from giving public speeches,

H. noting that on 20 May 1997 President Clinton imposed economic sanctions on Burma by prohibiting United States citizens from making new investments in Burma,

I. whereas, at the last ASEAN ministerial summit, the governments of the member countries decided to admit Burma as a member, thus ignoring the appeals from various other countries and international organizations for the decision to be postponed on account of the serious political situation in Rangoon,

1. Condemns the military dictatorship in Burma and all human rights violations committed by SLORC;

2. Calls on the Rangoon government to guarantee the fundamental rights of the Burmese people and to put a stop to politically motivated persecution and to fulfil its obligations as a State party to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No 29), and to the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention, 1948 (No 87), of the International Labour Organization;

3. Calls on the Council to respond to Aung San Suu Kyi's request that the EU implement economic sanctions against SLORC by ending all links between the European Union and Burma based on trade, tourism and investment in Burma by European companies;

4. Urges the Commission not to take action against the act regulating state contracts with companies doing business with or in Burma passed on 25 June 1996 by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, under the dispute settlement procedure of the World Trade Organization;

5. Vigorously condemns the accession of Burma to ASEAN, giving it further international recognition despite its violations of human rights;

6. Calls on the ASEAN countries to review their 'policy of constructive engagement' with Rangoon, which appears to confer legitimacy on the policies of Burma's repressive and anti-democratic government;

7. Expresses its support for all the forces of democracy in Burma, in particular the NLD and Aung San Suu Kyi, who are campaigning for the establishment of constitutional government and respect for human rights;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the military Government of Burma and ASEAN.