From: Anna Roberts <anna.roberts@burmacampaign.org.uk>

We are pleased to be able to write with some good news. Yesterday European Union foreign ministers met, and decided to maintain EU targeted economic sanctions against the dictatorship for a further year. Burma Campaign UK has been lobbying hard to ensure these sanctions are maintained, as there has been no genuine change in Burma, and in fact military attacks against ethnic civilians have increased since the elections.

Some EU countries, including Germany and Italy, had been trying to get sanctions relaxed. They are putting business opportunities ahead of human rights and democracy in Burma.

Take the lead on Burma – it worked!

Last year we asked you to take campaign actions calling on Prime Minister David Cameron and Foreign Secretary William Hague to take the lead in promoting human rights and democracy in Burma.  I am glad to be able to tell you that the British government did take the lead in making sure that the EU did not relax pressure against the dictatorship. This is concrete evidence that the emails and letter writing does make a difference.

Take action again:

We often criticise governments when they are not taking the action they should, but it is also important to thank them when they do the right thing.  Therefore, we’d like you to write to the Foreign Secretary William Hague, and Jeremy Browne, the Foreign Office Minister with direct responsibility for Burma, thanking them. And of course, asking them to do more!

You can copy and paste a message to the Ministers on the Foreign Office website here:

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/ministerial-feedback-form

Just choose Burma in the subject menu. It only takes 2 minutes.

You can write your own message, or copy and paste the message below:

Dear William Hague, Foreign Secretary, and Jeremy Browne, Minister of State.

I am writing to thank your government for the leading role it played in ensuring that the European Union has maintained targeted economic sanctions against the dictatorship in Burma.

Britain is the leading country in the world supporting the people of Burma in their struggle for human rights and democracy.

Rigged elections held in Burma last year have not led to any democratic reforms or improvement in human rights. In fact the human rights situation in Burma is getting worse. The dictatorship has broken longstanding ceasefire agreements with ethnic armies in Karen State and Shan State, and the Burmese Army is now attacking civilian villages with mortar bombs and heavy machine guns. Tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes.

We urge you to continue your leading role by condemning these new attacks by the Burmese Army, and calling for an immediate nationwide ceasefire.

I also call on you to ensure that the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity is included in either the UN Human Rights Council or UN General Assembly Resolution on Burma later this year.

Anna

Burma Campaign UK

Support our work: Donate to the Burma Campaign UK and make a difference today. You can be sure your donation will make a difference. Supporting the Burma Campaign UK is one of the most effective ways of supporting the struggle to free Burma.

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