Switzerland Supports Arm Embargo on Burma military ruler

A veteran Burmese politician on Wednesday appreciated Switzerland’s commitment to support the United Nations arms embargo on Burma’s military regime, even as campaigners seek to shore up a global consensus to overcome opposition by Russia and China at the Security Council.

Switzerland on Monday in a statement said it supports a global arms embargo against Burma’s military rulers and called on all nations to stop exporting armaments to the regime.

Win Tin, a central executive committee member of Burma’s opposition party – the National League for Democracy – echoed Switzerland’s stand saying “Global arms embargo is the best punishment for the ruling regime as it does not impact the people but has a lot of effect on the junta.”

“By having an arms embargo, the people lose nothing but the regime will lose bullets or weapons to suppress the people,” he added.

But he said, he feared that the campaign for a global arms embargo might not be able to overcome the Burmese junta’s allies Russia and China at the UN Security Council, as the two veto wielding countries had earlier blocked a UNSC resolution on Burma in January 2007.

Switzerland, which had introduced an arms embargo on Burma in October 2000, on Monday became the 31st country to join campaigners call to support a global arms embargo on Burma.

The embargo is in keeping with the European Union sanctions against Burma and is being periodically updated, said the statement but called on other countries to stop exporting arms to Burma as only a common action could be effective.

“Thus, Switzerland would welcome and support a coordinated initiative by the European Union and the US at the UN level to stop arms exports to Myanmar [Burma]," the statement said.

Burma Campaign UK said it is working with other campaign groups in building a global consensus on arms embargo on Burma.

Mark Farmaner, Director of the Burma Campaign UK said, despite the US and EU arms embargo, several countries including China, Russia, India, and Israel are continuing to export armaments to the Burmese regime, who use the weapons to crackdown on dissidents.

But Farmaner said the campaign has gained much support though there is still fear that Russia and China would oppose any move at the UNSC to adopt an arms embargo.

“They are going to be the big problem. The only way we can persuade China and Russia not to use veto is to isolate them as the only countries against arms embargo,” Farmaner said.

But he also stressed that in pushing the Burmese regime to implement change, every possible pressure including political, economic and prosecution for crime against humanity, need to be used.