Brake Backs Democracy in Burma

3.38.41pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 23rd Oct 2007

On Wednesday 24 October, the United Nations will celebrate UN Day and on the same day, Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the National League of Democracy in Burma, will complete her 12th year under house arrest.

To mark the milestone, Amnesty International (AI) has named the day in her honour and called on the UN to implement an arms embargo against Burma.

Tom Brake who is backing AI's campaign said, "If the UN really wants to be proud of itself, then it has to deliver this arms embargo."

The reaction to the latest pro-democracy protests by the Burmese Government was brutal. The police and military charged in with baton and gunfire and admitted to killing 10 and arresting 2,000 - independent groups such as Amnesty International suggest both figures are far higher.

Tom Brake MP will be raising this issue by writing to the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, and urging him to maintain as much pressure as he can on the Security Council to ensure that the arms embargo becomes a reality.

Commenting, Tom Brake MP said, "Freedom to protest peacefully is a right that we take for granted in the UK, and it is vital that we work to make this not only a British right, but a global one. I will be calling on Mr Brown to campaign for this freedom in the Security Council".