U.N. human rights envoy who returned to Myanmar after a four-year ban Monday visited a notorious prison for political prisoners as he began an investigation into how many people were killed or detained in a crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators.
Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, the U.N.'s independent rights investigator for Myanmar, has said he is determined to gain access to the prisons and other sites to assess allegations of abuse by the ruling military junta.
Showing posts with label united nations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label united nations. Show all posts
Nov 13, 2007
Nov 7, 2007
Stall tactics
Apparently Burma's junta leadership has decided to stall and frustrate efforts by UN Ibrahim Gambari to negotiate peace. They are now calling their diplomats to the capital to meet with the UN envoy. Since the diplomats have no actual power, this is just another stall tactic by the ruling military.
The diplomats were asked to meet on Wednesday with envoy Ibrahim Gambari in Naypyitaw, where he has been holding talks with Cabinet ministers but has yet to meet with the junta's leader, Senior Gen. Than Shwe.
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The diplomats were asked to meet on Wednesday with envoy Ibrahim Gambari in Naypyitaw, where he has been holding talks with Cabinet ministers but has yet to meet with the junta's leader, Senior Gen. Than Shwe.
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Nov 3, 2007
UN official kicked out
Why does this not surprise me?
The United Nations is disappointed by the message from the government of Myanmar that it would not want the resident coordinator, Mr. Charles Petrie, to continue to serve. Petrie was advised that he was no longer welcome in the country and needs to leave.
Mr Petrie, who began his posting in Burma in 2003, issued a statement a week ago critical of the country's deepening economic crisis. Burma's rulers were not impressed.
U.S. National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe called the expulsion of Petrie, the U.N.'s human rights representative, "outrageous" and noted it came the day before Ibrahim Gambari, the special U.N. envoy to Myanmar, is scheduled to return to the country.It is "an insult to the United Nations and the international community," Johndroe said. "They say that they are interested in cooperating with the U.N., so this seems very unusual to say the least."
Some believe Burma's authorities have made their move at this time so that Mr Gambari will have to spend all of his visit talking about the UN instead of talking about reform.
The United Nations does not know who Gambari will be meeting with, but it is hoped that the envoy will facilitate talks between ruling generals and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, an opposition leader and human rights activist who has been under house arrest on and off for nearly 20 years.
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The United Nations is disappointed by the message from the government of Myanmar that it would not want the resident coordinator, Mr. Charles Petrie, to continue to serve. Petrie was advised that he was no longer welcome in the country and needs to leave.
Mr Petrie, who began his posting in Burma in 2003, issued a statement a week ago critical of the country's deepening economic crisis. Burma's rulers were not impressed.
U.S. National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe called the expulsion of Petrie, the U.N.'s human rights representative, "outrageous" and noted it came the day before Ibrahim Gambari, the special U.N. envoy to Myanmar, is scheduled to return to the country.It is "an insult to the United Nations and the international community," Johndroe said. "They say that they are interested in cooperating with the U.N., so this seems very unusual to say the least."
Some believe Burma's authorities have made their move at this time so that Mr Gambari will have to spend all of his visit talking about the UN instead of talking about reform.
The United Nations does not know who Gambari will be meeting with, but it is hoped that the envoy will facilitate talks between ruling generals and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, an opposition leader and human rights activist who has been under house arrest on and off for nearly 20 years.
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