The Government is closely engaged at the European Union and international level in monitoring the situation in Burma and in supporting the struggle of the Burmese people for democracy and human rights. I have met with representatives of some of the main ethnic minority groups in the country. I remain deeply concerned about the allegations that have been made by these groups that they have been subjected to grave breaches of international humanitarian law by the Burmese regime.
The Government has expressed its concern internationally about the treatment of ethnic minorities by the regime in Burma. One such minority is the Rohingya, as highlighted by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma, Tomas Quintana, in his report to the Human Rights Council in March of this year. The Rohingyas are a Muslim minority group comprising some 800,000 people residing in North Arakan State in Western Burma. In addition, it is estimated that there are many hundreds of thousands of refugees in neighbouring countries. The persecution of the Rohingya by the Burmese authorities is predicated on the basis of the denial of their right to citizenship.
The Government has long recognised the need to support the Rohingya and has responded in a practical way to their plight, including through the resettlement in Ireland of around eighty Rohingya refugees from camps in Bangladesh, under the Government's refugee resettlement scheme, which is administered by the Department of Justice and Law Reform.
At my request, the actions of the Burmese regime were discussed at the meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in April. On that occasion, Ministers called for a peaceful transition to a democratic, civilian and inclusive system of government in Burma. They agreed that the regime had not taken the necessary steps to make the elections, to be held on 7 November, credible, transparent and inclusive. There has been no substantive improvement since then to change that assessment.
Notwithstanding the difficult position in which ethnic minorities and political parties have been placed by the actions of the regime, some ethnic groups are working to try to take advantage of the possible opportunity afforded by the elections to secure representation in local and national legislatures. However, I am extremely concerned at reports that the regime has moved to stifle further the rights of minorities in the lead-up to the elections.
The Government also believes that a crucial element in the national reconciliation and democratisation process is the release without delay of all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi. This could contribute to a new atmosphere in advance of the elections, allowing space for the initiation of a process of national dialogue and reconciliation, involving all opposition and ethnic groups. As the poll date draws nearer, I will continue to work closely with our European and international partners in support of human rights and democracy in Burma.