Asia-Pacific, Europe, Headlines, Human Rights

BURMA: EU Takes Some Firm, But Small, Steps

David Cronin

BRUSSELS, Oct 15 2007 (IPS) - Import of gemstones, timber and metal from Burma have been banned by the European Union in protest against the violent suppression of protests by Buddhist monks in Rangoon.

Yet while European firms will also be forbidden from investing in the related sectors – all of key importance to the Burmese economy – contracts signed by the French energy giant Total to exploit the Yadana gasfield in southern Burma will be unaffected by the move.

The sanctions, agreed by EU foreign ministers at an Oct. 15 meeting in Luxembourg, have been welcomed by human rights campaigners.

"The Burmese regime is desperately short of money," Mark Farmaner from Burma Campaign UK told IPS. "So any economic measures that can put pressure on it are welcome. I&#39m not saying these measures are going to bring democracy, but they are a good start."

As trade in the items covered by the new sanctions bring hundreds of millions of dollars to Rangoon each year, Farmaner argued that they should have a greater impact than measures previously undertaken by the EU.

Although the EU has long agreed to freeze the assets of Burmese government officials, less than 7,000 euros (10,000 dollars) has actually been frozen. And firms from many EU states, including Germany, France, Britain, Italy and Sweden, have developed weapons or military components destined for Burma, despite the Union having imposed an arms embargo on the country.

France&#39s Total has been accused, too, of giving financial and logistical support during the 1990s to a regime responsible for forced labour, arbitrary executions and torture.

"The EU has a shameful record of dithering," Farmaner added. "It has dithered for the past two and a half weeks as well. It promised sanctions if there was a violent crackdown on protests, but it took two-and-a-half weeks to agree them. The regime has had a green light during that time to arrest thousands."

Not all senior EU politicians were convinced that fresh sanctions should be imposed.

Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European commissioner for external relations, said she "personally would have wanted to delay the sanctions entering into force."

She indicated that more time should be given to Ibrahim Gambari, the United Nations envoy to Burma, in his efforts to see a diplomatic breakthrough. Gambari is visiting Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, India and China, ahead of a planned return to Burma. He has met with both the Rangoon authorities and the imprisoned pro-democracy leader Aung Saan Suu Kyi since the recent protests began.

Nonetheless, Ferrero-Waldner described last weekend&#39s arrest of three student leaders as "alarming".

Htay Kywe, Mie Mie and Aung Thu, members of the 1988 Generation Students Group, have all been previously imprisoned for political activities.

Before the new sanctions were rubberstamped by his counterparts from other EU countries, Sweden&#39s foreign minister Carl Bildt questioned if they would be effective. "What&#39s on the table now would affect little more than 1 percent of Burma&#39s foreign trade, and hardly touch the regime&#39s central finances," he said. "We should be able to do a little bit better."

Meanwhile, the European Union has decided to partially suspend sanctions it had imposed on Uzbekistan.

Eight Uzbek officials were banned from travelling to Europe in October 2005 in response to Tashkent&#39s refusal to permit an international investigation into the Andijan massacre in May that year, during which Uzbek forces killed hundreds of mostly unarmed protesters.

Ferrero-Waldner claimed that the situation in Uzbekistan has improved sufficiently for the travel ban to be lifted; the decision will then be reassessed after six months. Restrictions on selling weapons to Uzbekistan are to remain in place.

"We all remain very concerned by the human rights situation in Uzbekistan but we also have to acknowledge there have been a few positive signals," said Ferrero-Waldner.

Dialogue on human rights issues has taken place between the Central Asian country and the EU, she said, while two human rights activists have recently been released.

But Human Rights Watch complained that 13 other activists are still behind bars. It alleges that Germany, which has a military base in Uzbekistan, led efforts to have the sanctions eased for largely selfish regions.

Germany was supported by Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain, while Sweden, Denmark, Ireland and Britain were in favour of maintaining the sanctions.

"It is high time to expose the hypocrisy surrounding EU policy towards Tashkent," said Human Rights Watch spokeswoman Holly Cartner. "Germany and its allies who have consistently sought to undermine the sanctions and bully others into submission should no longer be allowed to hide behind the banner of a &#39common position&#39 compromise.

"Resolute EU action is the only hope for these individuals (the imprisoned activists) to see the light of freedom. Wavering while they remain behind bars is a mistake the EU simply cannot afford."

Islom Karimov, Uzbekistan&#39s ruler since 1991, has recently launched a campaign to have himself re-elected president.

Alain Délétroz from the International Crisis Group voiced concerns that the EU&#39s decision on weakening its sanctions will play into the hands of Karimov, who is regarded by some as one of the world&#39s worst dictators.

"Karimov&#39s propaganda machine will use this decision efficiently," said Délétroz. "The image of the EU in Central Asia will suffer as a result."