Myanmar: UN Secretary-General voices concern at new electoral laws

News Courtesy: UN News Centre, First Published on 10th March 2010

10 March 2010 – New electoral laws unveiled by authorities in Myanmar do not meet international expectations of what is required for an inclusive political process in the Asian country, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned today.

The United Nations is carefully studying the laws as they are being published by the Government in preparation for planned national elections later this year, Mr. Ban said in a statement issued by his spokesperson.

According to media reports, the new laws relate to the registration of political parties and prohibit anyone with a criminal conviction from being a member of an official party.

“The indications available so far suggest that they do not measure up to the international community’s expectations of what is needed for an inclusive political process,” Mr. Ban said.

“The Secretary-General reiterates his call for the Myanmar authorities to ensure such an inclusive political process leading to fair, transparent and credible elections in which all citizens of Myanmar, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, can freely participate.”

Ms. Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), a prominent opposition leader, has been under house arrest for much of the past two decades. In August last year she was sentenced to an additional 18 months of detention after being convicted of violating State security laws.

Last month Mr. Ban expressed disappointment that Ms. Suu Kyi’s appeal against her house arrest was rejected and reiterated his call for her release.

Myanmar is slated to later this year conduct its first elections in over 20 years as part of a Government-designed timetable towards greater democratization.

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Which one is true – China or United Nations on British PM’s Letter on Burma to UNSG?

On 17th of March 2010, China’s State controlled official media – ‘Xinhua’ surprisingly published a news story entitled – “UN Chief denies receiving letter from British Prime Minister on Myanmar” concerning his appeal to convene meeting of Group of Friends on Myanmar to discuss Burma’s different democratic issues. It was surprising as the news was first time appeared in China’s official media highlighting UN Secretary General’s concern about the credibility of the proposed 2010 elections in Burma, release of non-violent democratic campaigner - Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, release of political prisoners after many years of sugar coated relationship with Burma’s military junta. The other Chinese media even went to extent that, British PM is lying about the letter written to the United Nations Secretary General – Ban Ki-moon, which was soon removed from the web. The news also came soon after the previous news post on Burma Review. However, my purpose of publishing that news was not for humiliating Burma’s military junta but for the support of an accountable & transparent open society institution.


However, later China’s ‘Xinhua’ published another news story on 19th of March 2010 entitled, “Group of Friends on Myanmar to meet at UN headquarters”, correcting the earlier story and accepting the validity of the letter of British Prime Minister – Mr. Gordon Brown in a balancing diplomatic move to maintain cozy relationship with Burma’s military junta as well as with European Union and Britain.


Now comes the question of de-mystifying the truth about meeting of ‘Group of Friends on Myanmar’ scheduled for 25th of March 2010 and the letter of British PM – Gordon Brown to UNSG denied by China’s official media on 17th of March 2010. The official website of the United Nations Secretary General’s press briefings archives from 15th of March 2010 to 19th of March 2010 (latest available on concerned time period) suggests that UN Secretary General has not denied the receiving letter from British PM calling for a meeting of ‘Groups of Friend on Myanmar’. In addition, the press briefings of 18th of March 2010 of the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Mr. Martin Nesirky declares that, “Secretary-General did receive a letter from UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Tuesday 16th of March 2010 contradicting the concerned news of China’s official media. Moreover, the spokesperson of UNSG also acknowledges that, UN Secretary-General has scheduled a meeting of that Group on 25th of March.


Although, another mystery is related about the scheduled meeting of ‘Group of Friends on Myanmar’ proposed for 25th of March 2010. The office of Spokesperson of UNSG’s list of programme scheduled for 25th of March doesn’t indicate holding any meeting on Burma. The programme which is given entitled - THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS (20-26 March 2010) has following list of schedules missing the announced meeting of Group of Friends on Myanmar -


Thursday, 25 March

Today is the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

At 11:00 a.m., Hania Zlotnik, Director of the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, will hold a press conference about the results of the 2009 Revision of World Urbanization Prospects, in the Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium.

At 12:00 p.m., Mr. Alain Le Roy, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations; and Susana Malcorra, Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, will hold their quarterly press conference.

At 1:00 p.m., the Department of Public Information will hold a press conference to commemorate the abolition of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

From 3 to 4:30 p.m., a solemn Commemorative Ceremony will take place in the Trusteeship Council Chamber to mark the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

Today is the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members.

In Copenhagen, UNDP Administrator Helen Clark will give remarks to the MDG3 Conference, with World Bank President Robert Zoellick.

Now comes the question, which one is true – United Nations or China’s official media report about the letter of British PM – Mr. Gordon Brown related with proposed meeting of Group of Friends on Myanmar scheduled for 25th of March 2010? If China is so much concerned about the detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and political prisoners of Burma, then, what was she doing in previous three meetings of UN Security Council on the concerned issue? The truth has yet to come…., So one passerby announced – “Say apple – an apple, mango – a mango, monkey – a monkey…..don’t make a monk…?”

No indication Myanmar will release prisoners ahead of elections – UN rights expert

News Courtesy: UN News Centre

15 March 2010 – An independent United Nations human rights expert who recently visited Myanmar said today that there is no indication that the Government is willing to release political prisoners ahead of national elections scheduled for later this year.

Tomás Ojea Quintana, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, had stated prior to his 15-19 February visit that the elections should be fair and transparent, that freedom of speech, movement and association should be guaranteed in the country, and that all prisoners of conscience should be released before the polls so they can be as inclusive as possible.

“Without full participation, including by the some 2,100 prisoners of conscience, and an environment that allows people and parties to engage in the range of electoral activities, the elections cannot be credible,” he said today, as he presented his report to the 47-member Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Mr. Quintana has also stated that the Government missed an opportunity to prove its commitment to holding inclusive elections by extending the house arrest of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, effectively barring her from participating in the country’s elections.

His request to meet Ms. Suu Kyi during last month’s visit was rejected. “I consider her a prisoner of conscience and reiterate my call for her release without delay,” he said today.

The Special Rapporteur added that he did not come away from his most recent visit with a “clear sense of progress” on the four core elements he put forward to the Government in August 2008.

He had urged the Government to complete the following tasks ahead of this year’s elections: the revision of domestic laws that limit fundamental rights, the progressive release of the prisoners of conscience still in detention, the reform and training of the military so that it conforms with human rights, and changes to the judiciary so that it is fully independent.

“The same large number of prisoners of conscience is to be found in prisons across the country, while new arrests and sentences continue, though there have been some occasional releases,” said Mr. Quintana, who was given access to three prisons during the visit.

Stating that the human rights challenges that the Government has to deal with are “daunting,” he stressed that accountability for past violations has to be established. “The possibility that the gross and systematic nature of the human rights violations may entail crimes against humanity must be seriously examined and addressed accordingly.

“It is now the time for the Government of Myanmar to assume its responsibility to undertake steps in this direction,” said Mr. Quintana. “And it is also now for the international community to consider further steps to ensure accountability and to assist the authorities of Myanmar in fulfilling this obligation.”

Mr. Quintana noted that Myanmar is at a “critical” moment in its history, with elections planned for the first time in 20 years.

“The process towards the organization of elections should represent an important opportunity for the Government of Myanmar to address a range of human rights issues and to initiate the much-needed reforms towards the building of democratic institutions.

“I am concerned that this opportunity is not being seized.”

Last month’s visit to the country – carried out at the invitation of the Government – was Mr. Quintana’s third since being appointed to his post in May 2008. He reports to the Human Rights Council in an independent and unpaid capacity.

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