Asia and Oceania

Burma
Last reviewed: 02 December 2008

Country information

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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Burma's relations with the UK

The UK's relations with the military authorities are poor. The UK is active within the EU and UN to bring pressure to bear on the Burmese regime and to improve the human rights situation, to strengthen civil society, to promote positive political change, national reconciliation and economic development. The UK does not encourage trade, investment with Burma. We do not offer any commercial services for companies wanting to do business with Burma, nor do we give financial support for trade promotion activities or organise trade missions.

Burma's Relations with Neighbours

Burma joined the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1997. ASEAN members are among Burma's key trade partners. Continued ethnic and political tension on the Burma/Thai border has led to occasional skirmishes and closure of the border there. Burma was due to take chairmanship of ASEAN in July 2006, but in July 2005 ASEAN announced that Burma had asked to postpone its turn as ASEAN chairman in order to focus on national reconciliation and democratisation.

Following the crackdown against peaceful protestors in September 2007 ASEAN urged restraint. On 20 July 2008, ASEAN Foreign Ministers expressed their deep disappointment over the extension of Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest. The Foreign Ministers also called on the Burmese government to engage in a meaningful dialogue with all political groups, to work towards a peaceful transition to democracy, and in addition to work closely with the UN Secretary-General’s office and his Special Adviser Ibrahim Gambari for an inclusive process towards national reconciliation. The next day, Burma ratified ASEAN Charter.

Burma's Relations with the International Community

EU

In 1996, the EU adopted a Common Position on Burma, which implemented a range of restrictive measures designed to target those obstructing reform and progress. In October 2007 EU Ministers agreed additional restrictive measures targeted at those sectors which provide a source of revenue to the regime - timber, metals and gems. At the same time, the EU pledged its commitment to humanitarian and development assistance to the people of Burma and expressed its readiness to assist Burma in its process of transition.

The Common Position includes: an arms embargo; bans on defence links and high-level bilateral government visits, the supply of equipment that might be used for internal repression or terrorism and an asset freeze and visa ban on regime members, their families, the military and security forces and others who actively frustrate the process of national reconciliation. There is a prohibition on EU registered companies or organisations from making financial loans or credit available to named Burmese enterprises, an export ban on equipment to the sectors of logs and timber and mining of metals, minerals, precious and semi precious stones; an import ban on products of these 3 sectors as well as an investment ban in the sectors.

Council of the European Union: Conclusions on Burma/Myanmar (15-16/10/07)
EU Declaration on evolution of situation in Burma/Myanmar (28/09/07)
EU-US Statement on Burma/Myanmar (26/09/07)
EU declaration on the situation in Burma/Myanmar (25/09/07)
EU Common Position on Burma, 28 April 2008 l

In addition, Burma's Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) trading privileges were suspended by the European Commission in 1997 because of the use of forced labour there. This prevents Burma from having duty-free access to the EU market for its products, which it would otherwise be granted as a ‘Least Developed Country’.

UN

Burma was added to the Security Council agenda for the first time in late 2006. In January 2007, the UK and US tabled a Security Council resolution expressing concern at the trans-national risks posed by the situation in Burma, calling on the regime to end its violations of human rights and humanitarian law and to begin, without delay, a substantive political dialogue leading to a genuine democractic transition. China and Russia vetoed the resolution.

Following anti-government protests in September 2007 the Security Council issued a Presidential Statement which emphasised the importance of the early release of all political prisoners and to create the necessary conditions for a genuine dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all concerned parties and ethnic groups, in order to achieve an inclusive national reconciliation with the direct support of the United Nations.

Professor Ibrahim Gambari, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General, has visited Burma several times with the full support of the international community, most recently 18-23 August 2008. Following the visit Professor Gambari told journalists that the tangible results of the visit fell below his expectations. The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, has called for tangible steps towards establishing a credible and inclusive political process in the country, including progress on human rights.

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sc9320.doc.htm

UN Security Council Statement: Presidential Statement, 14 November 2007

UN Security Council Statement: Presidential Statement, 11 October 2007

Reports of the Special Rapporteur

Human Rights

The situation in Burma is of great concern. The people of Burma are denied basic freedoms across the spectrum - from political rights, including the prohibition on any kind of non governmental political activity, to economic rights, including land confiscation - and suffer the effects of corruption and patronage. There is no functioning democratic system, no free media, no effective trade unions and no independent judiciary. The security forces and the army have carried out severe human rights abuses for many years with impunity. Some of the worst violations have been perpetrated against ethnic minority communities in border and conflict areas. Our embassy in Rangoon monitors the human rights situation in Burma, makes regular representations about abuses of human rights as well as working with UN agencies and the ILO to address concerns.

The UN General Assembly (UNGA) and the UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) have passed successive resolutions condemning human rights violations in Burma. The UNHCR established a Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burma in 1992. The Special Rapporteur's reports have highlighted the gravity of the human rights situation.
The new UN Special Rapporteur for Burma, Ojea Quintana visited Burma in August 2008.

http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N08/494/69/PDF/N0849469.pdf?OpenElement

The ILO took the unprecedented decision, fully supported by the UK, to invoke exceptional measures against Burma in November 2000 in response to its use of forced labour. In February 2007, the ILO reached a preliminary agreement with the Burmese government to investigate suspected cases of forced labour in the country. The agreement allows the ILO liaison officer in Rangoon to make a preliminary investigation of the alleged cases, and guarantees that the government will not retaliate against those making the complaint. Under this mechanism, 10 complaints have been processed successfully. The ILO's supplementary understanding with the Burmese government was extended to February 2009.

UK Development Assistance

British Aid to Burma will total £57 million in 2008/09. This includes £45 million for emergency relief following Cyclone Nargis and £12 million of development & humanitarian assistance for non-Nargis support. The £12 million for the current year is part of an overall commitment since 2005/06 of more than £40 million to support poverty reduction in Burma. This includes:

Three Diseases Fund (Malaria, HIV/Aids and Tuberculosis) - £20.1 million over five years
Pre-school Education through Save the Children managed projects - £2.7 million (2006-2009)
Support for UNICEF's basic education programme - £3.3 million
Support for the UN Human Development Initiative programme - £4 million
Support for Burmese refugees in camps in Thailand and cross-border support to internally displaced people - £1.8 million

For more information on the DfID Burma programme please visit their website:

http://www.dfid.gov.uk/countries/asia/burma.asp