[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

Mizzima: UN rights envoy sees signs



--------------F66BA2B4F0B5C4D2F24DD57C
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

    UN rights envoy sees signs to eventual political opening in Burma

Geneva, April 6, 2001
Mizzima News Group (www.mizzima.com)

    ?I believe that despite not being able to carry out a full-fledged
fact finding mission during the short time since my appointment in
December, there are several signs that indicated evolution leading to an
eventual political opening?, the United Nations human rights envoy to
Burma Mr. Paulo Sergio Pinheiro said today in Geneva.

In his brief report to the on-going UN Human Rights Commission, the
special rapporteur noted that there are series of recent steps taken by
the Burmese government including its willingness to engage with the
United Nations and international community.

The Brazilian academic Mr. Pinheiro said that during his visit, he met
with top member of the Burmese military junta including its Secretary
No. 1 Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt and also met with leaders of
opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) including Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi who has been under house arrest since September last year. He
also met with representatives of ethnic and religious community,
diplomatic and business community and representatives of United Nations
and other international organizations working in the country.

Mentioning his recent visit to Burma as ?exploratory to establish
communication and to build mutual trust and confidence with the
government?, the human rights envoy said that he has not yet had the
opportunity to make the first-hand and objective analysis of the
situation of human rights in Burma.

?But, I am confident that suitable opportunity will arrive in the near
future?. Talking to the reporters later, the special rapporteur said
that he intends to visit Burma again in July if the Burmese government
permits him.

A more complete report on his findings would be submitted to the UN
General Assembly later this year.

During his visit, Mr. Pinheiro has conveyed to the Burmese government
the need of steps to be taken such as freedom of expression and the
assembly, the early release of political prisoners and the strengthening
of civil society and the right to participation in public life. ?Those
initiatives will contribute to the process of confidence-building in the
country?, he said.

The special rapporteur, however, did not mention much about the talks,
which have been taking place between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the
Burmese junta since October last year. ?In this connection, I take note
that no official statement has yet been made by either of the two
parties to the dialogue. In consequence, I have no further information
concerning those both sides to share with the Commission at the present
moment?.

The UN special rapporteur visited Burma from April 3 to 5 and he is the
first UN human rights envoy to be allowed into Burma in five years. His
predecessor Rajsoomer Lallah who resigned in November last year was
never given permission to visit Burma by the military junta.

The various international human rights bodies such as Amnesty
International and Human Rights Watch have condemned the military regime
for its widespread human rights abuses in the country. The junta came
into power in September 1988 after killing thousands of pro-democracy
demonstrators in the country.

The special rapporteur has, however, argued that the world community
should no longer isolate Burma if it wants to contribute for the
promotion of human rights in the country. ?I am convinced, Mr. Chairman,
that the deepening of the isolation of Myanamr should be avoided. If the
international community wants to contribute for the promotion of human
rights, it is necessary to find the ways to increase the integration of
Myanamr into international community?, he concluded.



--------------F66BA2B4F0B5C4D2F24DD57C
Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en">
<html>

<center><b><u><font color="#000099"><font size=+1>UN rights envoy sees
signs to eventual political opening in Burma</font></font></u></b></center>

<p><font color="#FF0000"><font size=+1>Geneva, April 6, 2001</font></font>
<br><font color="#FF0000"><font size=+1>Mizzima News Group <a href="http://www.mizzima.com";>(www.mizzima.com)</a></font></font>
<p><font size=+1>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ?I believe that despite not being able
to carry out a full-fledged fact finding mission during the short time
since my appointment in December, there are several signs that indicated
evolution leading to an eventual political opening?, the United Nations
human rights envoy to Burma Mr. Paulo Sergio Pinheiro said today in Geneva.</font>
<p><font size=+1>In his brief report to the on-going UN Human Rights Commission,
the special rapporteur noted that there are series of recent steps taken
by the Burmese government including its willingness to engage with the
United Nations and international community.</font>
<p><font size=+1>The Brazilian academic Mr. Pinheiro said that during his
visit, he met with top member of the Burmese military junta including its
Secretary No. 1 Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt and also met with leaders
of opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) including Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi who has been under house arrest since September last year. He also
met with representatives of ethnic and religious community, diplomatic
and business community and representatives of United Nations and other
international organizations working in the country.</font>
<p><font size=+1>Mentioning his recent visit to Burma as ?exploratory to
establish communication and to build mutual trust and confidence with the
government?, the human rights envoy said that he has not yet had the opportunity
to make the first-hand and objective analysis of the situation of human
rights in Burma.</font>
<p><font size=+1>?But, I am confident that suitable opportunity will arrive
in the near future?. Talking to the reporters later, the special rapporteur
said that he intends to visit Burma again in July if the Burmese government
permits him.</font>
<p><font size=+1>A more complete report on his findings would be submitted
to the UN General Assembly later this year.</font>
<p><font size=+1>During his visit, Mr. Pinheiro has conveyed to the Burmese
government the need of steps to be taken such as freedom of expression
and the assembly, the early release of political prisoners and the strengthening
of civil society and the right to participation in public life. ?Those
initiatives will contribute to the process of confidence-building in the
country?, he said.</font>
<p><font size=+1>The special rapporteur, however, did not mention much
about the talks, which have been taking place between Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi and the Burmese junta since October last year. ?In this connection,
I take note that no official statement has yet been made by either of the
two parties to the dialogue. In consequence, I have no further information
concerning those both sides to share with the Commission at the present
moment?.</font>
<p><font size=+1>The UN special rapporteur visited Burma from April 3 to
5 and he is the first UN human rights envoy to be allowed into Burma in
five years. His predecessor Rajsoomer Lallah who resigned in November last
year was never given permission to visit Burma by the military junta.</font>
<p><font size=+1>The various international human rights bodies such as
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have condemned the military
regime for its widespread human rights abuses in the country. The junta
came into power in September 1988 after killing thousands of pro-democracy
demonstrators in the country.</font>
<p><font size=+1>The special rapporteur has, however, argued that the world
community should no longer isolate Burma if it wants to contribute for
the promotion of human rights in the country. ?I am convinced, Mr. Chairman,
that the deepening of the isolation of Myanamr should be avoided. If the
international community wants to contribute for the promotion of human
rights, it is necessary to find the ways to increase the integration of
Myanamr into international community?, he concluded.</font>
<p>&nbsp;</html>

--------------F66BA2B4F0B5C4D2F24DD57C--