Temelkovski speaks out on human rights

The human rights situation in Myanmar (formerly Burma) is a concern for an Amnesty International group in Oak Ridges - Markham, and local MP Lui Temelkovski passed on their worries last week in the House of Commons.

"Human rights abuses, violence against women, the holding of political prisoners and military rule are only a few of the main concerns," he said in a statement in the House. "Just this spring, the opposition leader's house arrest was extended by a year. The military regime is so desperate to hang on to power that it is even now cracking down on stand-up comics who poke fun at it."

Temelkovski pointed out Parliament has expressed concerns on this issue in the past, and he called upon Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay to stay active on it.

"I have added my name to a letter from the Canadian Friends of Burma to KofiAnnan, calling on him to seek a resolution to the crisis," Temelkovski said. "We must do what we can to

speaks out on human rights promote the establishment of an open and transparent

democracy that respects and enshrines human rights."