Letter from the German Bundestag and the Bundesrat to the Parliamentarians of Myanmar

Dear freely-elected representatives,

Your Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) currently represents the sole democratically legitimised representative body of the people in Myanmar. Your work — even if it can only take place virtually at present — maintains a democratic foundation for the future of Myanmar once military rule has ended. As freely-elected representatives, your presence provides many people in your country with hope, along with the strength to stand up for their democratic rights and their freedom.

Over a year ago, the military in Myanmar unlawfully suspended the country's constitutional order. Since then, the military junta has suppressed freedom, justice and democracy and has fought against its own people using excessive violence. As we did a year ago in the direct aftermath of the military putsch, we thus continue to support your efforts to bring these measures of persecution to an immediate end and to re-establish legitimate state institutions.

We back your calls for the release of the more than 9,000 political prisoners, and above all the revocation of the over 100 death sentences, along with the return to the application of legal order in line with the constitution. As Presidents of the German Bundestag and of the Bundesrat, it is with particularly great concern that we view the detention of over 90 freely-elected representatives at all levels of state in Myanmar. It is especially vital that parliamentarians are permitted to exercise their mandate without obstruction. We therefore expressly support the efforts by parliamentarians from all over the world to secure the release of our elected colleagues in Myanmar.

Since 2016, the German Bundestag and the Bundesrat have supported your Parliament in Nay Pyi Taw intensively as you establish transparent structures that are close to the citizens. Close and friendly relations have developed through numerous in-person meetings. We were thus deeply shocked by the military strike against Parliament. We now express our deep attachment and solidarity with the members of the CRPH operating in its place.

We continue to wish the people of Myanmar the strength that you have shown thus far, and hope that you can regain your freedom and restore rule of law to your country as soon as possible.

In these difficult times, we continue to stand firmly at your side.

Yours sincerely

Bodo Ramelow
President of the Bundesrat

Bärbel Bas
President of the German Bundestag