Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has welcomed the statement issued yesterday by the President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Dr. Jose Ramos Horta, calling for a UN arms embargo on Burma's military regime.

The East Timorese President said that "the events of the past two years in Burma have shocked the world. The deterioration in the political and humanitarian situation calls for a clear response by the international community". Dr. Ramos Horta urged the United Nations "to increase and intensify its efforts", and in particular, to introduce "a total, comprehensive, mandatory arms embargo" on the regime. "There can be no justification for selling arms to a regime which has no external threats and uses those arms simply to suppress its ownpeople," he added.

Earlier this month, the regime rejected democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's appeal against her continued house arrest. "I deplore this decision," said Dr. Ramos Horta, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996,. The former leader of East Timor's struggle for freedom described the regime's continued detention of "my fellow Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi" as an example of "its extraordinary inhumanity and intransigence".

Benedict Rogers, CSW's East Asia Team Leader, said: "We are delighted that the President of East Timor has added his support to our calls for a universal arms embargo against the military regime in Burma. We believe his call will give our campaign momentum, and we urge other countries to follow by working to secure an arms embargo at the UN Security Council."

To download the full statement, please contact CSW's press office.