Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-11-17-Speech-4-204"
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"en.20051117.23.4-204"2
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". – Mr President, what continues in Burma is appalling. Military dictatorship continues to rule by force, despite recent ceasefire talks and agreements. Resistance is still being dealt with by brutal military response.
I visited the Thai-Burmese border two weeks ago for six days. I had the opportunity to visit refugee camps in Thailand that are overflowing with people who have fled from Burma’s Karen province and Karenni province. The human rights situation inside Burma within ethnic provinces is hugely concerning. The reality of war and military leaders acting with impunity results in repression and abuse: forced relocation of communities and destruction of villages, thousands of internally displaced people living in the forest, the rape of women and girls – many such incidents documented by human rights organisations, forced labour, the use of up to 60 000 child soldiers – I met two young 16-year-old defectors from the Burmese armies, and the random use of landmines by both sides littering the jungle to lethal effect.
The main focus of this resolution is to nudge the international community forward, to ensure that Burma is put on the UN Security Council agenda as soon as possible. The report by Vaclav Havel and Desmond Tutu makes a real, legal and valid case for bringing the Burma issue to the UN Security Council, and I support it.
The solution to the suffering and repression in Burma is not primarily about aid, although aid is required to relieve suffering. A lasting solution must be a political one. We need a real ceasefire. We need talks between the government the SPDC, the National League for Democracy and ethnic groups, with all groups having an equal level of participation. We need the release of all political prisoners, and we need to allow democracy to govern. I have no confidence that, without sustained international pressure at the highest possible level, Burma will make the positive transition to democracy.
I encourage the EU Member States on the UN Security Council to take a more proactive role in getting Burma on to the Security Council agenda, in particular Britain. It is somewhat ironic that it is the US that is taking the lead on this issue despite the historic links and relationship between Britain, Burma and its people. It takes 9 out of 15 members of the UN Security Council to sign a motion to put the issue on the agenda. We currently have eight. If the political will exists, a ninth can be found and persuaded."@en1
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