This is fantastic. Gordon Brown has done what other PM’s have shied away from doing – committing to raising Burma in talks with other world leaders. This is a major breakthrough and something we have been campaigning for for years.

At the Burma Campaign UK you can thank Gordon Brown and encourage him to continue here.

The PM’s statement:

I deeply deplore the Burmese government’s violent suppression of peaceful demonstrations. I call upon the Burmese authorities to release immediately all those detained merely for protesting at the hardship imposed on them by the government’s economic mismanagement and failure to uphold fundamental human rights. I also reiterate the British Government’s call for the release of all political prisoners, including Nobel Prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi who has now spent almost 12 years of her life under house arrest.

As the lives of ordinary Burmese people continue to deteriorate, it is all the more important that all countries and organisations with an influence over the regime impress upon the generals the need for an early transition to democratic rule, full respect for human rights and genuine national reconciliation.

I support calls for the grave situation in Burma to be considered by the UN Security Council at the earliest opportunity. I also call for the UN General Assembly to address this issue.
We give our full support to the efforts of the UN Secretary-General’s good offices mission. It is time for the UN human rights bodies to give this alarming situation the attention it so patently deserves.

I am asking the Foreign Secretary to discuss this issue with our European partners next week.
I will seek an early opportunity to raise the situation in Burma with my counterparts in the key regional countries and with our partners in the EU and the US.

Over the last week the military regime of Burma have increased the price of fuel by 500%. Understandably people have decided to protest. The military have responded through an escalation of arrests and tortures. Sadly most countries have refused to do anything about this – not even speak out against the atrocities. I have cut and paste some background below.

Please write to the EU president, as well as your MP, and maybe consider 24 hour hunger strike or day of prayer – more details here. Why not consider supporting the Burma Campaign to help secure the release of Aun San Suu Kyi – the only Nobel Peace Prize winner held in captivity.

Regime launches new crackdown on democracy activists
21 Aug 2007

UN and international community must demand their immediate release

The regime ruling Burma today arrested key democracy activists in midnight raids. The new round of arrests happened on the eve of planned mass protests to be held in Rangoon on Wednesday. The planned protest follows fuel price increases of up to 500 percent imposed by the regime last week.

High profile members of the 88 Student Generation of democracy activists are believed to be among those arrested, including Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Ko Mya Aye, Ko Yin Htun and Ko Jimmy.

“The regime has been trying to persuade the international community that it has a roadmap to democracy and will reform, but this exposes the raw truth, the regime will tolerate no dissent, not even peaceful protest,” said Mark Farmaner, Acting Director of the Burma Campaign UK. “The United Nations must set a deadline for genuine reform, including the release of all political prisoners. We have had 19 years of regime lies and 19 years of the international community dithering while thousands of Burmese people are arrested, tortured and killed.”

There have been protests in Burma since the regime massively increased fuel prices last week. A recent protest led by the 88 Generation Students grew to up to 700 people as people joined them as they marched. The price rises are causing real hardship such as increased costs of basic foods. Even before the price hikes inflation was estimated at 30 percent.

Unconfirmed reports received by the Burma Campaign UK indicate that other democracy activists are also being arrested, including members of the Myanmar Development Committee, who earlier this year held a high profile protest against food price increases, and student activists. These include five university students arrested in the afternoon of Tuesday Aug 21 by members of the Union Solidarity Development Association (USDA) – the regimes civilian militia – and plain cloth police officials, while they are pasting a poster with demands to reduce the high prices of fuel and basic commodities. They are (1) Kyaw Ko Ko, 25-year old, first year Chemistry, Dagon University, (2) Nyan Oo, 21-year old, Third Year Medical, Institute of Medicine No. 2, (3) Yar Zar Mon, 20-year old, Third Year Medical, Institute of Medicine No. 2, (4) Nyan Linn Oo, 19-year old, Third Year Geography, University of Distant Education, and (5) Nyi Lwin Oo, Third Year Medical, Institute of Medicine No. 2.

The crackdown comes just a few weeks before the UN Envoy to Burma, Ibrahim Gambari, is due to visit Burma. He is expected to report back to the United Nations Security Council following the visit, which will be his third to the country.

“Those arrested face a real danger of being brutally tortured,” said Mark Farmaner. “Gordon Brown has been silent on Burma since becoming Prime Minister. He must ensure that the British government does all it can to secure their release. Questions also have to be asked about why the UN and governments stayed silent in recent days even though this new crackdown had been expected.”