PM warns Burma regime that the "world is watching"
26 September 2007
Gordon Brown warned Burma's leaders today that "the whole world is now watching" as Burmese authorities launched a crackdown on the protestors who have taken to the streets over the last few days.
Speaking to media earlier today, the Prime Minister said that the human rights of the Burmese people "must be respected," adding that the Rangoon regime will be held to account "in the eyes of the world."
The PM paid tribute to the "courage, bravery and resilience of the Burmese people" and said there would be "no impunity" for those responsible for the violence.
There are reports of a monk being killed by the military in Rangoon as pro-democracy protestors continued to march in defiance of the country's leaders.
The Prime Minister repeated his calls for a threefold approach to the crisis including a United Nations Security Council meeting this afternoon; the sending of the UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari to Burma, and for the EU to discuss the issue at the highest level later today.
Mr Brown said that international pressure over next few days is "incredibly important".
"The whole world is now watching Burma and its illegitimate and repressive regime should know that the whole world is going to hold it to account.
"The age of impunity in neglecting and overriding human rights is over."
Yesterday Mr Brown wrote to the current holder of the European Union presidency, Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates, and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and called for tougher sanctions.
He told Mr Socrates:
"I would strongly support a presidency initiative to warn the Burmese government that we are watching their behaviour and that the EU will impose tougher EU sanctions if they make the wrong choices."
And in his letter to Mr Ban, Mr Brown said:
"We need concerted international action, including the UN, to discourage violence. We need to stand together.''
Image copyright: Reuters
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