Summary of the oral report of the Special Rapporteur on
PAULO SERGIO PINHEIRO, Special Rapporteur
on the situation of human rights in
He said interviews with victims and eyewitnesses, as well as discussions with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and with authorities, provided prima facie evidence that the incident in Depayin in May 2003 could not have happened without the connivance of State agents. What had happened at Depayin had deep political implications and constituted a regression in the area of human rights. Effective measures to bring the perpetrators to justice were still lacking.
He called for the immediate and unconditional release of all those who were detained or who had remained under house arrest since May, as well as compensation for surviving victims and the families of those who died. He urged a thorough investigation, in accordance with international standards, including public announcement of the results and accountability of those responsible.
In his discussions with
Regarding the circumstances surrounding the situation of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, he said she was no longer being detained under “security” legislation provisions, but her phone line remained cut off, and security arrangements remained in place. In effect, her circumstances were those of one under house arrest. She had made it clear in her discussions with him that she would not accept freedom for herself until all those arrested since may had been released. According to official figures, 109 of the 153 people arrested with the Depayin incident had so far been released. He had also received reports that there had been approximately 250 new arrests since 30 May.
He said he did not see any other solution than through
dialogue and harmony at the negotiation table. At this delicate juncture
in
The representative of
In order to prevent further skirmishes, the Government had placed the political leaders involved in the incident under protective custody and had taken legal action against those involved in the violent clashes. The eyewitness accounts needed to be seen objectively, he said, noting the misrepresentation of facts provided by accounts of so-called eyewitnesses. The Government of Myanmar was perplexed that the Special Rapporteur seemed to be joining the chorus of detractors who were promoting the impression that the incident was stage-managed by the Government. The fact was that the Government was completely taken by surprise and was baffled by the wisdom of politicians who behaved as though they were invincible. The United Nations should remain objective and refrain from taking sides based simply on the so-called evidence provided by the opposition.
He said his Government had requested the Special Rapporteur to be aware that sources who misled him in the recent past were also unlikely to provide him with correct and objective data in the future. Research, in order to yield credible data, must be carried out on populations without bias or political affiliation. So long as such research was conducted exclusively on one side of the border, the conclusions would remain biased and questionable.
He stressed that it was
The representative of the
Mr. PINHEIRO responded that he had proposed to the Government of Myanmar to conduct such an investigation but had not yet received a formal answer to his request. He had seen some irregularities in the pre-trial detention of people arrested, adding that 109 of the 153 people arrested in connection with the incident had so far been released. Regarding the numbers of deaths, both sides had recognized four deaths. That did not mean that not more than four deaths could be determined, but for the time being, he had not been able to find information about more than four deaths.
The representative of
Mr. PINHEIRO, addressing the statement made by the
He said it was very difficult to have a cordial atmosphere when someone was living under de facto house arrest. He had found Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in a very positive mood and ready to engage in dialogue. She had said she did not consider the incident of 30 May as a reason to block dialogue and expressed no interest in seeking revenge.
The representative of the
Mr. PINHEIRO said he was not an adviser of governments regarding political process. He only proposed that the seven-step transition include the basic requirements of freedoms of expression and political association if there were to be a genuine political transition. It would be difficult to go on with such a transition without implementing those basic freedoms.
Turning to the issue of gender equality, he said he agreed entirely that the empowerment of women was critical, though he could not devote time to this issue in his present report.
The representative of
Mr. PINHEIRO said it was not in his mandate to make proposals
concerning political process but recognized that ASEAN countries were very much
concerned about the normalization of political life in
The representative of the United Republic of Tanzania asked the Special Rapporteur to discuss his opinion regarding the connection of his work with the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy, Razali Ismail.
He said he worked in close cooperation with other
United Nations agencies involved in
The representative of
Mr. PINHEIRO responded that from all the sources he had contacted thus far, he was not in a position to acknowledge more than four deaths.
The representative of
Mr. PINHEIRO said that when