Resolution on Myanmar, notably the dissolution of democratic political parties

The European Parliament adopted by 454 votes to 5, with 39 abstentions, a resolution on Myanmar, notably the dissolution of democratic political parties.

The text adopted in plenary was tabled by the S&D, Renew, Greens/EFA, ECR, the Left groups and Members.

Since January 2022, the junta had imprisoned hundreds of members of the NLD, some of whom have died in detention. On 28 March 2023, forty political parties in Myanmar were dissolved, including the National League for Democracy (NLD), as they did not register in accordance with the regime’s Political Parties Registration Law.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Myanmar has risen to the position of third-worst nation for imprisoning journalists, after Iran and China.

Parliament strongly condemned:

- the junta’s violent and illegitimate rule, which has plunged Myanmar into a human rights and humanitarian crisis;

- Russia and China for their political, economic and military backing of Myanmar’s junta;

- the use of rape as a weapon and the military’s regular airstrikes on civilian targets.

The resolution called for:

- the immediate reinstatement of the political parties and the immediate and unconditional release all political prisoners;

- an immediate end to the unlawful state of emergency and the indiscriminate use of force, the restoration of the civilian government, the re-establishment of a path towards democracy and the swift opening of parliament with the participation of all elected representatives;

- the EU and its Member States to substantially increase humanitarian aid to the people and refugees of Myanmar, including Rohingya;

- the EU to introduce additional targeted sanctions against the military and its business interests, including sanctions on aviation fuel, the No.2 Mining Enterprise and the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank, and to rapidly enforce their implementation.