EU renews sanctions against Burmese regime

Mungpi, Mizzima News, 27 April 2010.

Oklahoma City (Mizzima) – European Union foreign ministers on Monday agreed to extend its existing economic sanctions against military-ruled Burma for another year, and called on the military regime to stop “violation of international human rights and humanitarian law”.

“The Council deems it necessary to extend the restrictive measures provided for in the current EU decision by another year,” a statement by the Foreign Ministers of the 27 European nations said.

But the council emphasised its readiness to revise, amend or reinforce the restrictive measures in the light of developments on the ground.

“The EU stands ready to respond positively to genuine progress in Burma/Myanmar,” the group said.

EU also urged the Burmese regime to co-operate with the United Nations and its special envoy Tomas Ojea Quintana and comply with the UN recommendations “by taking urgent measures to put an end to violations of international human rights and humanitarian law”.

The Council also called on the Burmese military regime to embark on a genuine political dialogue between all stakeholders, including the ethnic groups and the opposition to bring about a peaceful transition to a democratic, civilian and inclusive system of government. It, however, expressed serious concerns over election laws published by the junta in early March saying they “do not provide for free and fair elections and notes that the authorities of Burma/Myanmar still have to take the steps necessary to make the planned elections later this year a credible, transparent and inclusive process”.

The European Union first introduced sanctions on Burma in 1996. The sanctions have been updated, renewed and extended every year in April.

They include visa bans, an arms embargo, limiting diplomatic contacts, freezing officials’ offshore accounts and suspending non-humanitarian aid or development programmes.

EU’s extension of sanctions on the Burmese regime for another year was applauded by campaigners, with the Burma Campaign UK director Mark Farmaner saying, “The EU is right to maintain existing sanctions in light of the deteriorating human rights situation in Burma.”

“We welcome the EU’s call for the regime to respect international human rights law, but are disappointed that they have not explicitly expressed support for the recommendation of the UN Burma expert that a UN commission of inquiry should be established,” Mr. Farmaner said in a statement released on Monday.

The Burma rights group said relaxing sanctions would be a green light to the generals to increase human rights abuses, help finance increased abuses, and give up potential leverage against the regime.

It also urged the 27 member-countries of the EU to abide by its common policy on Burma and to use the sanctions to effectively target the junta as part of co-ordinated diplomatic efforts.