- Title: VARIOUS: World leaders condemn Myanmar violence
- Date: 27th September 2007
- Summary: (W3) LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (SEPTEMBER 26, 2007) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS GATHERED OUTSIDE MYANMAR EMBASSY IN LONDON PROTEST LEADERS CHANTING FOR DEMOCRACY PROTESTERS CHANTING PROTEST ON LONDON STREET / EXTERIOR OF EMBASSY WITH FLAG FLYING MAN SINGING PROTEST SONG (SOUNDBITE) (English) DR. WIN NING, CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY LIBERATED AREA, SAYING: "We are to demonstrate the Burmese embassy and Burmese regime that we are objecting their treatment, violent treatment, on our people, especially to our Buddhist monks. Very very critical, very brutal treatment, and it has been going on for forty years, treating on our people." MAN HOLDING BANNER CALLING FOR RELEASE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS, SINGING
- Embargoed: 12th October 2007 13:00
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- Topics: International Relations,Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA827RJ02SE23YPLTT7FLG9DKWE
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- Story Text: World leaders condemn force used by Myanmar's military rulers against pro-democracy demonstrators. Protesters gather in different parts of the world to demonstrate against the military junta's actions.
Western powers condemned the use of force by Myanmar's military rulers against pro-democracy demonstrators on Wednesday (September 26) and called urgent consultations in the U.N. Security Council.
The United States and the 27-member European Union asked the council to consider sanctions and demanded that the junta in the former Burma open a dialogue with jailed opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and ethnic minorities.
China and Russia, which have friendly relations with the Myanmar authorities, has so far blocked any U.N. sanctions. But several leaders urged China to take a more forceful role in carving out a peaceful solution.
As leaders joined to condemn the violence in Myanmar, demonstrators took the streets in several capitals, including London and Manila to protest the military junta's actions, which left at least two monks and one civilian dead.
British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, called for the UN Security Council to act swiftly.
"The first thing that should be done is the U.N. envoy should be sent to Burma (Myanmar)," Brown told reporters at a conference of Britain's ruling Labour Party.
In Paris, French President Nicolas Sarkozy met with a Myanmar opposition leader and called on the European Union to be tough on Myanmar and urged all its companies to hold back investing in the country.
"France, which presides over the Security Council, asks for an urgent meeting for sanctions to be adopted without delay. France asks the European Union to impose sanctions as a consequence of human rights violations in Burma. France calls for all French companies, Total for example, to refrain themselves from investing in Burma and certainly to make no new investments," Sarkozy said.
Sein Win, who heads a self-proclaimed Burmese government-in-exile, said he hoped an urgent EU meeting would help the situation in Myanmar because he feared more people will die in the biggest anti-government protests in the Asian country since political violence in 20 years.
Win also urged China to do more to broker a peaceful resolution.
"China should be on board for some solution of Burma through maybe the UN and together with other countries," he added.
Britain's Ambassador to Myanmar Mark Canning said security forces in Yangon had started using teargas and gunfire to disperse protesters.
Speaking in a telephone interview, Canning said the crackdown had failed to disperse the demonstrators marching through the city streets in the biggest anti-junta protests in 20 years.
He said the day started with a show of force from the military, with barricades and armed troops in trucks in various locations of Yangon, and that there had been arrests of pro-democracy activists overnight.
"I think the question then was whether all these measures would intimidate people into not marching as they have been for the last eight days.
And I think the answer is they have not. There have been many thousands of people out on the streets again," he said.
In Germany, members of a Burmese opposition group called on the European Union to expel Myanmar diplomats.
"I must say, I'm surprised that these representations in the European Union and here in Germany are allowed to operate," said Htoo Min, spokesman for the 60-member 'Burma Bureau Cologne.
"If you asked me what our demands were, the first step should be for the government representatives to be sent home and the embassies to be shut. Diplomatic relations should be cut and economic sanctions introduced.
That would be effective. Economic sanctions would be appropriate," Htoo Min said.
The crisis has been a major theme of the General Assembly's annual gathering of world leaders, which opened on Tuesday. U.S. President George W.
Bush, in his speech to the assembly, announced new sanctions against the junta. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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