Christian human rights group welcomes new EU Burma sanctions

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has welcomed the European Union's decision to impose targeted sanctions against Burma's military regime in response to the current crisis in Burma.

|PIC1|The measures, adopted at a meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday, include a ban on investment in, and imports of, Burmese timber, metals and gems.

The EU is considering a ban on all new investment if there continues to be no progress towards democracy in Burma.

The EU strongly condemned the brutal crackdown on demonstrators in Burma in recent weeks, demanded the immediate release of political prisoners including Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, and called for an end to "all violent repression and intimidation", according to a statement released Monday.

The EU also supported continued engagement by the United Nations, including the Security Council.

CSW's Chief Executive, Mervyn Thomas, said: "We have been campaigning for tough targeted sanctions, aimed directly at the regime and its Generals, for many years.

"Until now the EU's measures have been ineffective because they have not targeted the sectors which provide the military junta with major sources of revenue. Finally, the EU has adopted new sanctions which will have an impact on the regime.

"The EU has sent a strong message to the regime that if it does not enter into meaningful dialogue with the democracy movement and the ethnic nationalities, further tough targeted sanctions will be introduced.

"This is a great message of encouragement to the people of Burma who have so bravely been struggling for their basic human rights for so long."