PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Burma (16 March 2015)

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the government of Burma on the detention of students and other activists protesting against the education reform law in that country.

Asked by:
Kerry McCarthy (Labour)

Our Ambassador raised the importance of restrained policing of the student demonstrations at an early stage of the protests with the Burmese Deputy Minister of Home Affairs. Officials from our Embassy in Rangoon have been in further contact with the Burmese authorities at various times during their course, and we have coordinated action through our EU counterparts locally. We have also been in touch with members of Burmese civil society, including the 88 Generation movement.

We have publicly expressed our concerns at the violence that occurred in Letpadan on 10 March, which undermined an otherwise disciplined approach to policing these protests. The right to peaceful demonstration is a fundamental democratic freedom. The exact circumstances leading to these clashes remain unclear. The UK supports the EU’s call for a formal investigation to be initiated swiftly. We also welcome the government of Burma’s announcement of an investigation into the events of 5 March, in which irregular forces were used to break up a student protest in Rangoon. We encourage the government of Burma to extend this investigation to include the events of 10 March, and we call for all remaining demonstrators to be released. The development of a professional police force that respects and upholds human rights and the rule of law is fundamental to Burma’s transition to full democracy.

Answered by:
Lord Swire (Conservative)
19 March 2015