The European Parliament has adopted a resolution threatening Myanmar with taking “punitive sanctions” following the Rakhine State crisis that is forcing hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas into Bangladesh.
It has called on the vice-president of the European Commission or High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) and the EU Member States to “significantly” increase their pressure on the Myanmar government and security forces.
This is to push the Myanmar rulers to stop violence, fully cooperate with UN investigators and international humanitarian agencies and ensure accountability for grave violations of international law.
The parliament also called on the European Commission, in this regard for the VP/HR and the EU member states, “to take an active role in supporting immediate action at UN level and making clear that the EU stands ready to consider targeted punitive sanctions against individuals and entities”.
The members of the European Parliament also called on the commission to consider consequences in the context of the trade preferences Myanmar enjoys, “should grave violations in international law continue with impunity”.
