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Resolution of the European Parliame



Resolution of the European Parliament on human rights violations in Burma
16 July 1998

- having regards to its previous resolutions on Burma,

A.  deeply concerned about the ongoing violations of human rights committed
by the dictatorial government and its military authorities, which are to be
considered as a crime against humanity,
B.  condemning the ongoing obstruction against the democratic opposition,
as well as the increasing harassment of its members including the reported
imprisonment of 50 elected representatives and the obligation on other
elected representatives to report to the nearest police station twice a day, 
C.  whereas there are 300.000 internally displaced Karen people in Burma on
the run from the Burmese army,
D.  very concerned by the systematic destruction of Karen villages by the
Burmese armed forces and by the policy of repression practised by the
military against other minorities such as the Naga and the Shan,
E.  concerned by the attitude of the Burmese authorities who force their
people to work on construction projects, such as those for gas pipelines,
and to transport ammunition and food for the Burmese army which does not
hesitate to shoot those who are too exhausted to carry out these tasks,
F.  condemning the systematic rape of Karen women and women from other
minorities by Burmese soldiers,
G.  deeply concerned by the massacres and ethnic cleansing and the
destruction of food stores suffered by the Karen, Naga, Shan, Mon, Karenni
and Kachin peoples,
H.  deeply concerned at the growing numbers of Karen and Shan refugees in
Thailand as a result of the persecution by the military regime in Rangoon
and the attacks by the Burmese army against the refugee camps,
I.  noting that the EU/ASEAN Joint Committee has failed to meet because no
solution could be achieved regarding the participation of a Burmese
delegation,

1.  Reiterates its condemnation of the military dictatorship and the
atrocities it has committed;
2.  Calls on the UN Human Rights Commissioner, Mary Robinson, to send
permanent observers to investigate the human rights situation in the areas
inhabited by the oppressed minorities in the region and the atrocities
committed by the Burmese authorities;
3.  Calls on the Burmese authorities to put an immediate end to practices
of ethnic cleaning and forced relocation of members of ethnic minorities
and to do everything possible to allow these people to return to live in
their villages and areas in total safety;
4.  Calls on the Burmese authorities to stop their cross-border raids on
refugee camps in Thailand;
5.  Calls for a further strengthening of support for the democratic
opposition in Burma by all means available to the EU, its Member States and
international institutions;
6.  Reiterates its request to the Burmese authorities to halt immediately
the practices of persecution and intimidation against the leaders of the
democratic opposition, and in particular against Mrs Aung San Suu Kyi, and
to release elected representatives immediately;
7.  Calls on the Commission and the Council to implement full economic
sanctions against Burma and to prohibit any investment until the Rangoon
regime has stopped the serious violations of human rights;
8.  Calls on the United Nations Security Council to implement global
economic sanctions against Burma;
9.  Calls on the Thai government to give better protection to refugee camps
along the Thai/Burmese border, to recognise refugees as such and to allow
them entry from Burma, and not to expatriate them forcibly;
10.  Calls on the Thai government to guarantee the UN Human Rights
Commissioner full access to the refugee camps along the Thai/Burmese border;
11.  Calls on the Burmese military regime to allow the UN Special
Rapporteur on Burma to visit the country freely and to carry out his
mandate, by guaranteeing him full access to the regions inhabited by the
Karen and other regions inhabited by oppressed minorities;
12.  Calls on foreign companies which have invested in Burma, such as Total
and Premier Oil, to freeze their investments forthwith;
13.  Calls for Burma to be excluded from EU/ASEAN Joint Committee meetings;
14.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the
Commission, the governments of the Member States, the UN Secretary-general
and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Burmese and Thai
authorities.