By IRNA
London : British trade unions Saturday led a chorus of calls to impose tougher sanctions on Burma following the repression of pro-democracy demonstration in the former UK colony.
Ahead of demonstrations in London and elsewhere around the world, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) called on EU leaders to make it illegal for companies based or operating in Europe from investing and trading with Burma.
“It’s time to ratchet up the pressure on Burma’s brutal
dictatorship. Burmese trade unionists have asked us to boycott Burma because of the absence of democracy,” TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said.
“European businesses mustn’t be allowed to wash their hands of responsibility for what their trading allows the Burmese junta to do,” Barber said, adding that there was also “systematic forced and child labour, and the flagrant abuse of human rights. ”
The call came as tens of thousands of campaigners were expected to take to the streets of capital cities around the world to call for urgent UN action on Burma.
In London, the day of action started with monks leading a march over Westminster Bridge, which is adjacent to parliament and where they will drop petals into the Thames before passing Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s office on their way to Trafalgar Square for a rally.
The TUC said it was urging EU governments to replace existing restrictions with a complete ban, including sanctions on energy companies, tourism and the sale of Burmese exports.
Many companies active in Burma argue that by engaging with the country they help improve the internal situations, but the TUC warned that recent events and the worsening economic situation which led to the protests, show that engagement is not working.
“The Burmese people need freedom and an end to military rule, not scraps from the table of multinational trade,” Barber said. Foreign investment and trade was directly bolstering the junta, he said.
Several MPs and MEPs are due to speak at the rally as well as Amnesty International, trade unionists, Burma political dissidents and other campaigners.