Written Answers - Policy on Burma.
Kathleen Lynch
Question:
26
Kathleen Lynch
asked the
Tánaiste
and Minister for Foreign Affairs the way in which the Irish Government and the EU intends to respond to growing public demand that action be taken to support the Burmese democracy movement and to isolate the Rangoon junta.
[7542/97]
Michael McDowell
Question:
28
Mr. M. McDowell
asked the
Tánaiste
and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will propose, in the Council of Ministers, the imposition of economic sanctions by the EU on the military regime in Burma.
[7537/97]
Desmond J. O'Malley
Question:
47
Mr. O'Malley
asked the
Tánaiste
and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on his recent meeting with Dr. Sein, Prime Minister of the democratically elected Government of Burma; and the steps, if any, the Government proposes to take to support the Burmese democracy movement and to isolate the illegal junta in Rangoon.
[7536/97]
Ray Burke
Question:
48
Mr. R. Burke
asked the
Tánaiste
and Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps, if any, being taken to ensure that the Royal Thai Government complies with the internationally accepted legal principles of non-refoulment and does not forcibly return Karen and other refugees to Myanmar in view of SLORC's history of repression and in particular persecution of the Karen ethnic minority in the east of the country.
[7456/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 26, 28, 47 and 48 together.
The policy of the Government on Burma is based on the common position on Burma which was adopted by the Council of the European Union on 28 October last. The common position not only reaffirmed measures against Burma which were already in place — the expulsion of all military personnel attached to Burmese diplomatic representations in EU member states and the embargo on arms, munitions and military equipment — but also introduced additional restrictions such as the ban on entry visas for senior members of the SLORC and their families and the suspension of high-level bilateral governmental visits to Burma.
I have already informed the House, in reply to Question No. 48 of 19 February and Question No. 44 of 11 March, about recent exchanges between EU and ASEAN countries in relation to the deteriorating situation in Burma. I would refer again to the discussion at lunch at the EUASEAN ministerial meeting in Singapore on 13 February in which the concerns of European Ministers were conveyed to the ASEAN side in great detail and to the formal EU statement made at this meeting. In addition to expressing the concern of the European Union at continuing human rights violations in Burma, the EU called upon the SLORC immediately and unconditionally to release all political prisoners and to embark upon a process of national reconciliation and democratic reform respecting the aspirations of the Burmese people as expressed in the elections of May 1990. To this end, the EU also called upon the SLORC to enter into a meaningful dialogue with pro-democracy groups in general and with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in particular as well as with representatives of various ethnic groups. Ireland, of course, associates itself fully with this statement by the Presidency.
In relation to the Karen people, I remain deeply concerned about the fate of the refugees who have been turned back from Thailand as they attempted to flee from the renewed conflict which has erupted with such violence between the SLORC forces and the Karen National Union over the last few weeks following a renewed SLORC offensive. Together with our partners in the European Union, we urge the parties involved to exercise maximum restraint and to seek non-violent means to resolve their dispute.
The EU issued a declaration on the Karen refugee problem on 28 February urging the Government of Thailand to apply internationally recognised norms and standards relating to the treatment of refugees and asking the Thai authorities to ensure that all civilians seeking refuge in its territory will be allowed protection and shelter there until the underlying causes for their flight have been removed. In making this declaration, the European Union countries also underlined their appreciation for the assistance which the Royal Thai Government has been providing to refugee populations on its territory for many years in fulfilment of its humanitarian obligations.
I am glad to report that the European Union, through the European Community Humanitarian Office, ECHO, has provided a total of 3,240,000 ECU since 1994 to support Karen refugees on the Thai border. My Department has recently received a number of proposals seeking Irish aid funding for humanitarian relief programmes with Karen refugees in Thailand. These appeals will be sympathetically considered.
On the question of the imposition of economic sanctions on the military regime in Burma, I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 103 of 25 September 1996. I would add that in January 1996 the European Commission began an investigation of forced labour practices in Burma in the context of the European Union's generalised system of preferences. This investigation was initiated on foot of a complaint lodged by the European Trade Union Conference and the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions. The investigation has now been completed and the results have been presented to the Council of Ministers. I expect that the Council of Ministers will take a decision in the near future on the continued application of the benefits of the GSP to Burma.
On Question No. 47 concerning my meeting with Dr. Sein Win, I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 7 today.
The Government remains gravely concerned at the deterioration of the situation in Burma. I assure the House that I will continue to take up the question of Burma, including human rights violations there, at every appropriate opportunity.
