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European Parliament EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 2004 2009 Session document 4.9.2007 B6-0337/2007 MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION with request for inclusion in the agenda for the debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure by Vittorio Agnoletto on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group on human rights in Burma-Myanmar RE\P6_B(2007)0337_EN.doc PE 394.758v0 EN EN B6-0337/2007 European Parliament resolution on human rights in Burma-Myanmar The European Parliament, – having regard to its previous resolutions on Burma, – having regard to the statement by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, of 25 May 2007, calling for 'restrictions on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other political figures' to be lifted, – having regard to the letter to the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, signed by 92 Burmese MPs-Elect, of 1 August 2007, which includes a proposal for National Reconciliation and democratization in Burma; – having regard to the letter of 15 May 2007 to General Than Shwe, signed by 59 former heads of State, calling for 'the immediate release of the world’s only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi', – having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure, A. whereas the NDL leader, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Sakharov Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, has spent 11 of the last 17 years under house arrest; whereas on 25 May 2007 the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) extended the illegal detention of Aung San Suu Kyi for another year, B. whereas on 19 July 2007, Minister of Information Brigadier General Kyaw Hsan, announced that the proposed new Constitution of Burma would be complete within two months, but gave no timetable for implementing the steps acknowledged, even by the regime, as necessary for the transition to a democratic state, C. whereas the National Convention of Burma has now spent more than 14 years drafting a new Constitution, but lacks legitimacy and international credibility due to the absence of democratically elected representatives, most notably from the NLD, D. whereas on 14 August the Government of Burma withdrew fuel subsidies without warning, leading to an increase in fuel prices estimated at 500%; whereas the Burmese Assistance Association for Political Prisoners estimate that a minimum of one hundred human rights activists and peaceful protesters were arrested in the immediate wake of protests at the fuel price increase of 14 August, 1. Deplores the SPDC's crackdown on peaceful protestors demonstrating against the fuel price increase of 14 August 2007, involving the arrest of over 100 people and brutal, violent attacks on civilians including women; 2. Demands the immediate and unconditional release of all those who have been arrested PE 394.758v0 2/3 RE\P6_B(2007)0337_EN.doc EN since the protests began on 19 August 2007, including the leaders of the "88 Generation Students" such as Min Ko Naing, who has already spent 16 years in prison, and Ko Ko Gyi, who has spent 15 years in prison; 3. Demands the immediate and unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi; 4. Condemns the SPDC's unremitting oppression of the Burmese people and its persistent persecution and imprisonment of pro-democracy activists; draws particular attention to the case of U Win Tin, a 77-year old journalist detained as a political prisoner for almost two decades now for writing a letter to the UN on the ill-treatment of political prisoners and the poor conditions in which they are held; 5. Insists on the immediate release of U Win Tin, the twelve imprisoned Members of the Burmese Parliament and of all political prisoners – estimated to number over 1200 – held by the SPDC; 6. Underlines the political illegitimate character of the present constitutional review process, and calls for its replacement by a fully representative National Convention including the NLD and other political parties and groups; 7. Takes note of the renewal of EU targeted sanctions, recognises that they have failed to achieve the desired impact on those directly responsible for the suffering of the Burmese people; therefore calls on the Council to analyse the weaknesses in the present sanctions system; 8. Calls on the Member States Foreign Ministers to discuss measures for strengthening the EU Common Position on Burma at the next GAERC on 7/8 September; 9. Calls on Ibrahim Gambari, appointed as Special Advisor to the UN Secretary General on Burma in May, to visit Rangoon, and other parts of Burma, as a matter of urgency, ensuring that he has the opportunity to meet Aung San Suu Kyi, and other leading members of the Opposition, as well as regime figures; 10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States, the governments of the ASEAN nations, the National League for Democracy and the State Peace and Development Council. RE\P6_B(2007)0337_EN.doc 3/3 PE 394.758v0 EN.
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