Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to urge the government of Burma to end torture in that country, to investigate reports of continuing use of torture, and to bring the perpetrators to justice.

We are concerned by reports of the use of torture in conflict zones in Burma. We remain one of the most vocal and active members of the international community in supporting those calling for human rights in Burma. We regularly raise our strong concerns regarding any violations of human rights with senior members of the Burmese government and military, amongst others. We strongly support work being led by international partners, including the UN, to help Burma better understand the UN Convention Against Torture, and the steps that need to be taken as part of ratification.

It is the policy of the Government that any judgment on whether war crimes have occurred is a matter for international judicial decision, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. Our approach is to seek an end to all violations, and to prevent their further escalation, irrespective of whether these violations fit the definition of specific international crimes.