Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-06-05-Speech-4-220"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20030605.8.4-220"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, a never-ending drama seems to be unfolding in Burma. For years, a brutal junta has been terrorising the people of Burma, who live in extreme poverty. The regime bullies thousands of forced labourers, thousands of political detainees languish in the country’s prisons, and the President, once democratically elected with an overwhelming majority, the holder of the Nobel Prize – and also the holder of the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize – was imprisoned for years and then, after a short period in which the hope of a thin silver lining of democracy could be seen on the horizon, was arrested again on 31 May this year together with nine other members of the country’s parliament.
As you have no doubt learned from the media, it is not clear how many human lives the enforced military takeover has actually cost, or what fate the Deputy Chairman of the persecuted party, the National League for Democracy, has suffered. It is possible that the President herself was injured in this latest attack. This is a really serious reversal, given that exactly a year ago the release of Aung San Suu Kyi raised hopes that the regime was ready to carry out reforms. In this spirit of hope, a political dialogue was begun, under the supervision of the UN Special Envoy Razali Ismail, but it is to be feared that on his visit, planned for tomorrow, he will be prevented from meeting Aung San Suu Kyi, and that this will result in a further hardening of attitudes.
Military might, political persecution and taking away the freedom of people who, in defiance of all repressive measures, continue to fight for democracy – all these must not be tolerated. The Council has therefore been invited to reintroduce, with immediate effect, the sanctions against the regime which had been temporarily suspended. However, it must also be clear that the Council, the Commission and in particular Parliament, in the interests of the people of Burma, do not want to close all doors in Burma. In other words, we are still ready to help to encourage a process of national reconciliation, but there must also be signs that such a reconciliation process is desired and pursued by all sides. As long as terror and military might prevail, however, no one can hope for tolerance from the European Parliament and from the other European institutions."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples