Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps are being taken to incorporate discussion of torture, sexual violence and other war crimes and crimes against humanity and other human rights violations in the military training provided to the Burmese army by the United Kingdom.

Our defence engagement with Burma is focussed on the core principles of democratic accountability, international law and human rights. UK provision of defence training to the Burma Army is limited to non-combat related academic courses. This has included a course entitled “Managing Defence in the Wider Security Context” (MDWSC). The MDWSC covers the UK model of democratic accountability, the importance of good governance in defence and the significance of professionalism in a nation’s Armed Forces, including observation of human rights obligations.