MEPs PUSH FOR CONTINUED PRESSURE ON BURMESE GOVERNMENT

5.55.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 24th Apr 2008

China and ASEAN must rein in the excesses of the Burmese junta and the EU must campaign for a worldwide arms embargo to improve the lot of the Burmese people. That was the message of MEPs today in a strongly worded resolution adopted by an overwhelming majority in the European Parliament.

The Burmese regime launched its proposed new constitution earlier this month and is gearing up for a referendum on it in May, but continuing restrictions of freedom and human rights abuses have led to widespread scepticism of the reform process.

Liz Lynne MEP (LibDem) sits on the European Parliament's Human Rights Subcommittee and Delegation to South Asia and co-signed today's resolution. She is horrified that little real change has happened since the monk-led protests last year:

"The constitutional reforms and promise of elections are clearly a sham and a smokescreen to keep the military in power and I am glad that with the adoption of this resolution today that the European Parliament recognises this.

"However other world powers and Burma's neighbours need to pull their weight. While the EU rightly does not sell arms to Burma, our embargo is ineffective while China, Russia and India are continuing to sell arms to them. A worldwide arms embargo and targeted economic sanctions on the regime are vital, and the EU should lead the campaign for these.

"At the same time we need to do more to support change from within, through scaling up humanitarian aid in the conflict zones, in health, education and other areas. We must also work more with people on the ground, engaging in dialogue with minority and opposition groups. The people of Burma have been suffering for a long time; we must do everything we can to support them."