British MPs Called For Crime Investigation Against Burma’s Military Regime

13 January 2010: More than 140 MPs have called for an investigation into crimes against humanity committed by Burma’s long-standing military regime.

The British MPs signed an Early Day Motion (EDM), tabled by members of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Democracy in Burma (APPG Burma), according to news released today by Burma Campaign UK.

The EDM says that the members are concerned about the escalating systematic human rights abuses being perpetrated against the people of Burma by the military dictatorship and the well documented evidence over many years of widespread torture, forced displacement, sexual violence, extra-judicial killings and forced labour and that these actions constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Nang Seng, Campaigns Officer at Burma Campaign UK, said: “It is encouraging that more than 140 MPs from the British parliament have shown how seriously they take widespread human rights violations committed by the military regime.”

“I hope more MPs will sign and it is also essential that the UK government listens to what MPs have been calling for and ends its silence on this issue,” added the Kachin activist based in the UK.

The Early Day Motion also calls on the UK government to urge to the United Nations to establish a Commission of Inquiry into these crimes and to support the International Labour Organization referring Burma to the International Court of Justice for its use of forced labour.

In less than two months, the motion has been signed by a total of 141 Members of Parliament from 7 parties: Conservative Party, Democratic Unionist Party, Independent Labour, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, Scottish National Party, and Social Democratic and Labour Party. So far, it is the highest ranking EDM on foreign policy.

Last month, MPs from the main opposition parties called on the UK government to support a United Nations Commission of Inquiry into crimes against humanity in Burma during a parliamentary debate in the UK parliament.

Van Biak Thang
[email protected]
Chinland Guardian