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Ban Ki-moon condemns Burmese government over political prisoners
The UN Secretary-General appreciates the timid reforms of Naypyidaw, but calls for the release of over two thousand prisoners of conscience. Doubts about the effectiveness of the newly formed National Commission for Human Rights. The United States to appoint a special representative.
Yangon (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The UN Secretary General has sent a warning to the Burmese Government: recent reforms initiated by Naypyidaw - including the creation of a National Commission for Human Rights - is an encouraging step, but more than two thousand politicians prisoners are still behind bars in prisons in Myanmar "undermining confidence" in the regime. Meanwhile, the U.S. has appointed a Special Representative for Myanmar, who will also have the task of coordinating the policies and relations with the leadership of the country. Derek J. Mitchell will have the rank of Ambassador and the task to resume relations after more than two decades of diplomatic stalemate between the U.S. and Myanmar.
In a document prepared on August 5 but released only yesterday, Ban Ki-moon says that the release of Aung San Suu Kyi - following the "sham" elections last November - has given the country a chance to start out "on the road progress ". He considers the efforts of President Thein Sein - appointed by a parliament in which the military and former military personnel still dominate - to reform politics and the economy as positive. However, the UN Secretary General also calls for the "immediate implementation" of announced reforms, because Myanmar continues to suffer serious, deep rooted and longstanding" economic, political and humanitarian problems. Among the major emergencies, Ban Ki-moon recalls the unresolved issues of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, who still crowd Burmese prisons. A reality that "will continue to overshadow and undermine confidence in the efforts put in place by the government," writes the South Korean diplomat.
Recently, the Burmese government has taken up the call of UN Special Envoy for Myanmar, Tomas Ojea Quintana, creating a National Commission for Human Rights, to investigate abuses and violations. It consists of 15 members, including former ambassadors, senior officials and scholars. However, it appears unlikely that the new body will really improve the fortunes of a people oppressed by decades of military dictatorship. The modest proposal to entrust to Aung San Suu Kyi, the chair of the Commission seems to have waned, as an army colonel has judged the assignment to the Nobel Laureate "inappropriate".
Meanwhile, the United States and Myanmar are working to re-establish diplomatic relations, frozen since the military coup of 1988 that led to the rise to power of General Than Shwe and U.S. economic and trade sanctions. Currently, the Special Representative of the U.S. government, Derek J. Mitchell, is planning a series of high-level meetings – with political leaders and members of civil society – in Yangon and Naypyidaw. However, the National League for Democracy (NLD) seems to have been relegated to the margins: Nyan Win, NLD leader, emphasizes that the only information he has about the trip he read the media and at the same time, he considers a immediate change in U.S. policy towards Myanmar "unlikely".