UK parliamentarians discussed the human rights crisis in Myanmar/Burma in a Westminster Hall Debate in the House of Commons on 19 April, initiated by Naz Shah MP (Labour).
The debate highlighted the plight of more than 17,000 political prisoners still in jail, the displacement of more than two million people, the killing of thousands of civilians and the military regime’s recent decision to ban 40 political parties, including the National League for Democracy (NLD). It also addressed the military dictatorship’s campaign of airstrikes against civilians and widespread use of torture, and drew attention to ethnic and religious persecution, including the genocide of the Rohingyas.
Fiona Bruce MP (Conservative), the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for freedom of religion or belief, highlighted the recent sentencing of the former President of the Kachin Baptist Convention, Reverend Dr Hkalam Samson, to six years in prison. She asked Members of Parliament to join her in condemning this sentence and ‘to join the international calls for his immediate, unconditional release, and the release of others similarly arbitrarily detained.’
Jim Shannon MP (DUP), Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on freedom of religion or belief, highlighted the persecution of Christians in Myanmar: ‘Unfortunately, the plight of Christians in Myanmar has worsened in the past year, having deteriorated ever since the military took control in February 2021 … As we know, violence and fighting are increasing across Myanmar, but Christians are suffering disproportionately. Churches are targeted, converts are beaten, and community resources including such basics as clean water are all too often denied to Christians.’
Rushanara Ali MP (Labour), Chair of the APPG on Democracy in Burma, drew attention to the atrocities faced by the Rohingyas, as did Naz Shah MP and Imran Hussain MP (Labour). ‘For the Rohingya, it has been more than five years of pain, trauma, grief and displacement—five years in camps far from home, robbed of their livelihood, their education, their peace of mind and their future,’ said Ms Ali. ‘For the perpetrators, the Myanmar military—the soldiers, auxiliaries and men who issued the orders—it has been five years of evading justice for their crimes, which the UN fact-finding mission described as genocide.’
Ms Ali also called for more humanitarian aid for those displaced in Myanmar and along its borders, and for action to increase and intensify accountability efforts and the implementation of targeted sanctions against the military and its enterprises. ‘The sanctions must hit the supply of aviation fuel to the military. To save lives, we need to ground the jets and helicopters by cutting their fuel lines. British companies supplying fuel, or providing insurance or other logistics, must be dissuaded by the threat of sanctions. The diplomatic pressure must be stepped up, as well as the economic pressure,’ she added. ‘The international community is not doing anywhere near enough to change the situation. It has been two years since the Burmese military launched its coup and seized control of the country from a democratically elected Government. Despite heroic resistance and international condemnation, the miliary has instituted a regime of repression and violence on a massive scale.’
Shadow Minister for Asia Catherine West MP (Labour), raised the question of the continued diplomatic presence in London of the Myanmar Embassy’s military attaché, as well as sanctions on aviation fuel and the need to increase humanitarian aid. She urged the government to ‘outline what specific discussions are being had with partners in the region to cut off the supply of weapons to the regime, boost the effectiveness of arms embargoes, and condemn the suppliers in Moscow and Beijing who are playing a key role in legitimising the regime and facilitating the ongoing chaos.’
Ms West concluded: ‘The crisis in Myanmar may not be in the headlines as much as it ought to be, but the suffering of the people there remains in our hearts. The onus is on us to match our actions to our feelings and show the global leadership that the British people want us to display.’
The Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Andrew Mitchell MP (Conservative), responding on behalf of the government, condemned the military regime’s recent airstrikes: ‘The targeting of civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and places of worship, is absolutely grotesque and appalling, and must cease immediately. Civilians must be protected, and human rights must be respected.”
He referred to his visit with CSW to the Thailand-Myanmar border in 2007, concluding: ‘ The people of Myanmar have shown great determination and resilience in the face of unspeakable atrocities. They continue to demonstrate their commitment to democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms, and we continue to stand with them. We will do all we can to ensure that in the future they can live safely and in peace—something that is comprehensively denied to them today.’
CSW’s Senior Analyst for East Asia Benedict Rogers said: ‘We warmly welcome this debate, its comprehensive, detailed and passionate scope and the long overdue spotlight it helps to shine on the much-neglected crisis in Myanmar. We also welcome the steps the UK government has taken and the leadership it has shown in the international community, but urge the government to listen to the recommendations of MPs who called for more action. Among the world’s many crises, Myanmar must not be forgotten or ignored. The UK, along with others in the international community, must further increase efforts to cut the lifelines of money and arms to the military, and support the people of Myanmar by accelerating an end to this illegal regime and the establishment of genuine federal democracy and true peace with justice.’