Minister stands by human rights re

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Subject: :Minister stands by human rights record 

Letter:Minister stands by human rights record 
The Guardian; Manchester; Jul 1, 1999; GEOFFREY HOON; 

Start Page: 
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Abstract:
Thanks to British action, the ILO has passed an emergency resolution
penalising Burma for its record on forced labour - the first of its kind. We
have persuaded the UN to pass a series of res olutions slamming Burma's
human rights record. We have suspended government support for British
companies doing trade with Burma. With Aung San Suu Kyi's support, we now
discourage British tourists from going to Burma. The Burmese regime have
singled us out for criticism. It is hardly a record of weakness.

Full Text:
Copyright Guardian Newspapers, Limited Jul 1, 1999


John Pilger (Immoral earnings, June 29) presents yet another of his
triumphs of
professional outrage over truth and fairness.

He may not have noticed, but Nato acted to defend the very values he claims
to hold
dear. It had the overwhelming support of Kosovan Albanians and every other
country in
the region. To claim that Nato slaughtered 10,000 innocent people is
make-believe. To
claim it was responsible for the Serb atrocities is just plain sick.

His absurd attack on the government for not making submissions to the
`international war
crimes tribunal' on former president Suharto betrays either a remarkable
ignorance or a
wilful disregard for the truth. As John Pilger should know, there are
presently only two
international tribunals on war crimes - one for the former Yugoslavia, one
for Rwanda. I
wonder which one he feels should deal with President Suharto?

Thanks to British action, the ILO has passed an emergency resolution
penalising Burma
for its record on forced labour - the first of its kind. We have persuaded
the UN to pass a
series of res olutions slamming Burma's human rights record. We have suspended
government support for British companies doing trade with Burma. With Aung
San Suu
Kyi's support, we now discourage British tourists from going to Burma. The
Burmese
regime have singled us out for criticism. It is hardly a record of weakness.

Following the conflict in Kosovo there is an important debate going on about
foreign
policy and Britain's role in the world. He does it no favours.

Geoffrey Hoon MP

Minister of state, Foreign office