The Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,

Referring to the outline of the case of the above-mentioned elected members of the Pyithu Hluttaw (People's Assembly) of the Union of Myanmar, as contained in the report of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians (CL/170/13.c(ii)-R.1), and to the relevant resolution adopted at its 169th session (September 2001),

Recalling that the Parliament elected on 27 May 1990 has to date been prevented from convening; the National League for Democracy (NLD), which won 392 of the 485 seats, has been systematically impeded in its functioning and the MPs-elect eliminated from the political process through means including their arrest, detention and sentencing under laws infringing basic international human rights standards,

Recalling also that the NLD, together with other parties, set up the Committee Representing the People’s Parliament (CRPP) in an effort to implement the election results; that the Committee has not, however, been recognised by the military regime,

Noting the talks which started between the military regime and the NLD leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in October 2000 and the reported release since then of several MPs and the easing of some of the constraints on the operation of legal political parties, including the reopening of selected NLD branch offices and a halt to the media campaign against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,

Noting also that several on-site missions to Myanmar have since been carried out by, among others, the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General, the UN Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights, the International Labour Organization, the EU Troika and the International Committee of the Red Cross,

Considering, however, that the absence of any legislation to protect human rights is said to seriously hamper the functioning of political parties, continuing to restrict freedom of expression, opinion, assembly and association, access to information and freedom of movement domestically and internationally, and that domestic media and many international publications are still subject to all sorts of censorship controls,

1. Deeply regrets that an official communication has still not been forthcoming, thereby preventing it from fully appreciating any positive developments which may have taken place since talks started between the military regime and the NLD leader;
2. Notes with satisfaction that since then several MPs-elect have reportedly been released, and reiterates its wish to receive official confirmation of their release and any information on guarantees that they will not be re-arrested;
3. Remains deeply concerned at the plight of the 18 MPs who remain in prison and urges the authorities to release them forthwith;
4. Notes that several restrictions on political parties have been eased, and calls on the authorities to restore without further delay the rule of law, which, in addition to the unconditional release of the detained MPs-elect, will require the full removal of the ban on political activities, the establishment of institutions representative of the people’s will, and respect for human rights;
5. Again calls upon all members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union to press for the respect of democratic principles in Myanmar and to show their solidarity with their elected colleagues from the Pyithu Hluttaw, in particular by supporting the “Committee Representing the People's Parliament”, by making innovative Myanmar-related policy recommendations to their governments and by creating parliamentary support networks; invites once again member Parliaments to inform it of such steps as they may take to that end;
6. Welcomes the increasing number of official on-site visits to Myanmar and expresses the hope that this openness towards the international community will soon persuade the authorities to agree to receive an IPU mission so as to facilitate progress in the cases of the MPs-elect;
7. Requests the Secretary General to bring this resolution to the attention of the authorities of Myanmar and the sources;
8. Requests the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians to continue examining this case and report to it at its next session (September 2002).

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