Bulletin N21 - September 2005

NEW LEGAL REPORT BACKED BY VACLAV HAVEL AND BISHOP TUTU CALLS FOR UN SECURITY COUNCIL TO ADDRESS THREAT OF BURMA
LEAD AUTHOR OF REPORT AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW IN LONDON SEPTEMBER 20-25

A new report commissioned by former President Vaclav Havel and Bishop Desmond Tutu calls on the UN Security Council to take up the situation in Burma "immediately".

The report, entitled ’Threat to the Peace - A Call for the UN Security Council to Act in Burma ’ was prepared by DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary, a global law firm.

Jared Genser, the US lawyer who led the team which prepared the report, will be in London on Tuesday September 20 and the rest of that week, to present the report to politicians and the media in the UK .

The report concludes: "As a result of the severity of the overall situation in Burma and in consideration of all of these factors, which are analysed in detail in this report, the situation in Burma constitutes "a threat to the peace," thereby authorizing Security Council action. Binding Security Council intervention is a necessary international and multilateral vehicle to restore the peace, promote national reconciliation, and facilitate a return to democratic rule."

The report recommends the Security Council should adopt a resolution on the situation in Burma , outlining the major reasons for Security Council intervention, requiring the Government of Burma to work with the UN Secretary-General’s office in "implementing a plan for national reconciliation and a restoration of a democratically-elected government".

It further requests the Secretary-General to remain "vigourously" engaged with the dispute resolution process, urges the Government of Burma to allow the UN and international humanitarian organisations unhindered access to the country and to immediately release Aung San Suu Kyi and all prisoners of conscience.

In the foreword to the report, Vaclav Havel and Bishop Tutu write: "In recent years, it has become clear that Burma ’s troubles are causing serious and possibly permanent problems that go well beyond human rights violations. Burma has now become a problem for the region and international community...Based on our review of this report and its recommendations, we strongly urge the UN Security Council to take up the situation of Burma immediately. Preserving peace, security, and stability in the region and world - as well as achieving national reconciliation in Burma - now requires nothing less."

While the report was prepared independently by Mr Genser and DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary, CSW supports this new initiative and is helping arrange meetings for Mr Genser.

Mervyn Thomas , Chief Executive of CSW, said: "We wholeheartedly support this new effort to bring the issue of Burma to the UN Security Council. We applaud the excellent work of Mr Genser and DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary. We will work with them and with others to ensure this significant report is taken up by the international community. It is high time the Security Council addressed the situation in Burma ."

For more information or to arrange an interview with Mr Genser, please contact Richard Chilvers , Communications Manager at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on 020 8329 0045 or email richard.chilvers@csw.org.uk or visit www.csw.org.uk

For more information on DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary please visit www.dlapiper.com

DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary has more than 2,900 lawyers located in 20 countries and 53 offices throughout Asia, Europe and the U.S.