Burma: Sanctions must not be eased; Germany must not betray Aung San Suu Kyi!

The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) argued on Monday for the continuation of European sanctions against Burma. "As long as crimes against humanity and war crimes continue to be committed in Burma, the time for lifting the sanctions has not come," stated Ulrich Delius of the STP's Asia section. "The German government must not play down the dramatic human rights situation in its attempt to promote its economic interests. If Germany takes its dedication to democracy in Burma seriously, it must not stab Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi in the back."

The best-known opposition politician in the country, released from house arrest in November 2010, said on Saturday that she sees no justification for lifting the international sanctions in light of continuing human rights abuses. In response, a leading article in yesterday's issue of the state newspaper, "New Light of Myanmar," openly threatened the Nobel laureate with "a tragic end" if she and her banned opposition party, National League for Democracy (NLD), did not alter their stance.

In addition to the European sanctions, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan have also imposed sanctions against Burma. The EU is slated to decide in April 2011 whether to lift the sanctions or not. Informed sources in the EU report that primarily Germany and Italy are pressing for a review and repeal of the sanctions. In an analysis published in January 2011, the influential Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (German Institute for International and Security Affairs - SWP) in Berlin argued for repeal of the sanctions. Calls for ending the sanctions are particularly loud from industry. From April to December 2010, Germany was the principle European trade partner for Burma.

The EU sanctions ban the sale of armaments to Burma, freeze the assets of military leaders, and forbid business dealings with 1207 Burmese state-owned enterprises.