Government funds exiled Burmese Democratic Movement
The Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Liz O'Donnell TD, has announced Government funding for the Burmese National League for Democracy - and has confirmed they will meet in Ireland next year.
Minister O'Donnell today also welcomed this week's decision of Dublin Corporation to give the Freedom of the City to Ms Aung San Sou Kyi, President of the Burmese National League for Democracy.
"We are helping the exiled Burmese democratic movement to strengthen its structures in preparing for the dialogue which must one day take place on restoring democratic institutions and respect for human rights in its homeland. As part of this project, leaders of the movement will meet in Ireland next year," she said. They will also partake of training by the Institute of Public Administration. The project is being managed by Trocaire and the Euro Burma office.
The Burmese project is one of a number to benefit from the most recent allocation of £300,000 announced by the Minister in support of human rights and democratisation projects in the developing countries. There is an annual budget of £1.25m for human rights projects.
"Human Rights and training in good governance are now central to our work in development. We will be continuing our financial support of the Burundi peace process in an effort to bring stability to one of the most troubled areas of the world.
"In India, training courses financed by Ireland Aid will focus on women who are, for the first time, taking their place in the democratic process. In Peru, we will be financing training for Justices of the Peace who are responsible for promoting the rule of law in some of that country's most remote areas.
"In addition, we will continue to support Palestinian human rights organisations working to instil respect for democracy and to provide legal aid to Palestinian prisoners. These grants are a significant dimension of our Programme in the West Bank and Gaza, which aims to build confidence and institutional capacity for Palestinian people in a very difficult economic and political environment."
