The Petition of Mr Ali and residents of Coldhurst and other parts of Oldham,
Declares that the Petitioners believe that as a result of a recent attack on the Rohingya ethnic minority in June 2012 there is now a humanitarian crisis in Burma and that more than 90,000 Rohingya have been displaced; further that the Petitioners believe that since 1962 no Rohingya have been issued with birth certificates which renders them aliens to their own country and means they have no citizen’s rights and that innocent civilians are being targeted because of their ethnic background; further that the Petitioners believe that this is a modern ethnic cleansing and that it has been described as such by many independent journalists and NGO’s and that the Rohingya require relief and aid.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to cease its economic ties with Burma and to assist in providing aid for the displaced Rohingya of the region.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Mr Michael Meacher, Official Report, 22 November 2012; Vol. 553, c. 834.]
[P001138]
Observations from the Secretary of State for the Department for International Development:
UK Ministers and officials in the DFID office and British Embassy in Rangoon continue to lobby the Government of Burma for a long-term solution to the plight of the Rohingya in Rakhine, including their right to citizenship. Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Burma visited Rakhine State after the violence in October, as one of the first representatives of a foreign Government to do so. Foreign Office Minister of State for Asia, Hugo Swire, visited Rakhine State on 15 and 16 December. He discussed the situation with Government Ministers, the UN Resident Coordinator, Rohingya leaders and members from the Rakhine Investigative Commission. He also pushed for greater humanitarian co-ordination on the ground.
The UK is providing humanitarian assistance. Through the Department for International Development (DFID), the UK has allocated £2 million of bilateral support to provide water, sanitation and nutrition to more than 58,000 people affected by the violence in Rakhine. The UK also provides essential humanitarian assistance through core contributions made to multilaterals such as the EU and the UN.
Human Rights remain at the heart of the UK’s policy on Burma. We have not forgotten the many challenging and complex issues facing Burma, including the need to resolve ethnic conflict. It was only after very careful consideration that the British Government lifted their policy of discouraging trade with Burma. This was both in recognition of progress in Burma and because we think right kind of responsible trade and investment will aid Burma’s transition. Additionally we have put responsible investment at the centre of our future commercial relationship with Burma. We want to encourage investment that will benefit local communities and respect the local environment.
DFID has an extensive development programme in Burma. None of the UK’s bilateral aid is provided through central Government, only through United Nations organisations, trusted international and local NGOs and, where circumstances allow, at the township level.