Myanmar, EU cooperate in human rights, community policing, police reform

YANGON (Xinhua) - Myanmar and the European Union (EU) are cooperating in bilateral human rights, community policing and police reform to attain international standard.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment at a recent first EU- Myanmar Human Rights Dialogue in capital city Nay Pyi Taw to further strengthen their relations in the field.

The two sides discussed a wide range of multilateral issues to help deepen mutual understanding, to promote the exchange of best practices in ratifying international conventions and treaties, to identify challenges and  strengthen their links in cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

They also touched on major issues of concern for human rights, in particular political prisoners, freedom of expression, hate speech, economic, social and cultural rights, land rights, business and human rights, labor rights and non-discrimination.

The dialogue was attached with a Civil Society Forum.

As part of Myanmar-EU cooperation, EU is helping Myanmar Police Force (MPF) to  promote the relations between police force and public under an initiative of the Community Policing project funded by the EU

The project will allow the community to interact with the local police and meet their community police officers in the township.

The EU-funded project has also delivered training to MPF officers in a "train-the-trainer" format in order to roll out community policing to more areas across the country.

Moreover, the EU is also funding a police reform project in Myanmar that includes community policing, crowd management, improving accountability and enhancing the role of civil society and the media.

The community policing project, which is worth $13.6 million, started in  Yangon's Mingalar Taung Nyunt township in January and was followed by another project in Sanchaung township in March, while gaining positive progress.

With this project, EU wanted to contribute to improve the human rights performance of the Myanmar Police Force and initiate the development of a community based police service that is trustworthy and at the service of Myanmar people.

EU project has trained so far 400 police officers in best international practice in crowd management.