05 JUNE 2003
The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Burma and, in
particular, its resolutions of 11 April 2002 1 and 13 March 2003 2 ,
– having regard to the Council’s Common Position 96/635/CFSP of 28
October 1996 defined by the Council on the basis of Article J.2 of the
Treaty on European Union, on Burma/Myanmar 3 , as renewed and extended by
the Council's Common Position 2003/297/CFSP of 28 April 2003 on
Burma/Myanmar 4 ,

– having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 552/97 of 24 March 1997
temporarily withdrawing access to generalised tariff preferences from
the Union of Myanmar 5 ,

– having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1081/2000 of 22 May 2000
prohibiting the sale, supply and export to Burma/Myanmar of equipment
which might be used for internal repression or terrorism, and freezing
the funds of certain persons related to important governmental functions
in that country 6 ,

A. whereas the dire political situation in Burma has deteriorated
significantly in recent days,

B. whereas Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the opposition National
League for Democracy (NLD), was arrested on 31 May 2003 along with 19
other party members,

C. recalling that Parliament awarded the Sakharov Prize for Human
Rights to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who has also won the Nobel Prize,
D. whereas, according to reports, at least 70 people have been killed
in the attack by the junta army and its supporters against Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi and members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Upper
Burma,

E. whereas NLD members were the victims of an attack and were shot with
catapults; soldiers also opened fire, killing and wounding a large
number of NLD members, and whereas there are reports that Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi suffered head injuries,

F. concerned about the lack of information concerning the plight of Mr
Tin Oo, vice-chairman of the NLD, who was accompanying Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi,

G. whereas the NLD’s main offices throughout Burma have been closed by
the ruling military State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and
universities and colleges have also been instructed to close,

H. whereas almost exactly a year ago Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was released
after a long period of house arrest – a move welcomed at the time as a
sign that the junta was ready for political reform,

I. having regard to the political dialogue initiated under the auspices
of the UN Special Envoy, Razili Ismael,

J. whereas the visit of Razili Ismael to Rangoon, scheduled for 6 June,
could be called into question if he is not given an opportunity to meet
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,

K. whereas more than 1000 people are still being detained in prison for
political reasons,

1. Strongly condemns the detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other
detained NLD members and demands their immediate release;

2. Demands that the SDC immediately cease its practice of perpetrating
extrajudicial killings, systemic rape and political intimidation
against the Burmese people;

3. Reaffirms its strong commitment and full support for democratic,
judicial and political change in Burma;

4. Calls for the reopening of the NLD offices, and for the first
credible steps towards the restoration of democracy in Burma to be taken;

5. Calls for the immediate reopening of all universities in Burma;

6. Calls on the Council to implement immediately the extension of the
visa ban and assets freeze, as agreed in its aforementioned Common
Position 2003/297/CFSP, the implementation of which was suspended until 29
October 2003 in the hope, now clearly lost, of progress being made
towards the restoration of democracy and human rights;

7. Demands that the SPDC relinquish its grip on power and that the
results of the last elections held be fully respected;

8. Calls on the Council and the Commission to show their readiness, in
collaboration with the UN, to help facilitate the National
Reconciliation process in Burma;

9. Calls upon ASEAN states to take urgent action to bring about change
for the better in Burma before there is more loss of life and a further
deterioration of the economic and political situation in the country;

10. Calls on the Council to place the situation in Burma on the agenda
of the next ASEM Foreign Ministers’ meeting on 23-24 July in Bali;

11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council,
the Commission, the governments of the ASEAN Member States, Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi, the UN Secretary General and the SPDC.
ends.

1 OJ C 127 E, 29.5.2003, p. 681. 2 P5_TA(2003)0104. 3 OJ L 287,
8.11.1996, p. 1. 4 OJ L 106, 29.4.2003, p. 36. 5 OJ L 85, 27.3.1997, p. 8. 6
OJ L 122, 24.5.2000, p. 29.