On 27 January, Rushanara Ali MP tabled a Parliamentary Early Day Motion (EDM) on the upcoming first anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar.

The EDM, which has the support of MPs from across parties, condemns the crimes against humanity perpetrated by the Myanmar military, and calls on the UK Government and wider international community to take action against them.

On 1 February 2021 Myanmar's military seized power after detaining civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior members of her governing party.

The military’s actions have resulted in a year of unrest and increased conflict, and their attacks on Myanmar’s population are still ongoing. Since the coup started, around 1500 people have been killed, over 11,500 people have been arrested and over 300,000 people have been internally displaced.

Rushanara Ali MP said: “This important EDM condemns the Myanmar military’s heinous crimes, and calls on the UK and wider international community to take action to stop this campaign of violence. Without intervention, the Myanmar military will continue to act with impunity and commit further atrocities.”

The EDM reads: 

That this House, on the one year anniversary of the military coup that took place on 1 February 2021 in Myanmar (Burma), condemns the crimes against humanity perpetrated by the Myanmar military against the people of Myanmar; stands in solidarity with the Burmese people opposing the military coup; notes in horror the increased attacks by the military in ethnic areas including Chin, Karenni and Karen State over the recent months which includes the burning of people alive, torching of villages and killings of children; demands an urgent stop to the attacks; demands the release of all political prisoners; welcomes the UK Government’s condemnation of the coup and the introduction of targeted economic sanctions on military businesses; calls for further economic sanctions targeting military revenues; further calls for sanctions on aviation fuel to ground military bomber jets; calls on the Government to increase its efforts to encourage other countries to introduce unilateral arms embargoes; further calls on the Government to increase cross-border aid through local organisations working directly with the people affected by the military attacks; and calls on the Government to join the Rohingya genocide case at the International Court of Justice to secure justice for the Rohingya genocide, and to publicly support the referral of the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court.