Democratic reforms must begin immediately in Myanmar: UN rights expert
Citing the persistence of political imprisonment, violations against minorities and squelching of opposition voices in Myanmar, a United Nations human rights expert calls for democratic reforms to begin immediately in that country in his new report to the General Assembly.
“The transition to a full, participatory and democratic system in Myanmar can
no longer be postponed,” writes Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, the Special Rapporteur on Myanmar for the Commission on Human Rights. “Political and constitutional dialogue must begin without delay.”
“By instituting values of democracy and human rights,” he adds, “the Government will send a clear signal to the people of Myanmar and the international community that it is actively committed to facilitating the creation of a stable and democratic future for the country.”
The Special Rapporteur has not been permitted to conduct a fact-finding mission to Myanmar since November 2003, he states, and based his information on “a variety of independent and reliable sources.”
Opposition parties were excluded from the national political convention in March and there remain over 1,100 political prisoners in the country, Mr. Pinheiro writes, adding that he remains very concerned at the practice of administrative detention, particularly in the case of the head of the National League for Democracy (NLD).
“It is deeply regrettable that NLD General-Secretary Daw Aung San Suu Kyi celebrated her 60th birthday under house arrest. Her virtual solitary confinement and lack of access to NLD colleagues run counter to the spirit of national reconciliation,” he says.
In regard to minorities, he writes that widespread reports of forced labour, rape and other sexual violence, extortion and expropriation by Government forces continue to be received.
This past July, Mr. Pinheiro had welcomed the release of 249 political prisoners – including politicians, an editor and political party members – from various prisons throughout the South Asian country.
In the current report, he says that the good news of that release has been tempered by the subsequent continuation of arrests, detention and harsh sentences for democracy advocates and other civilians.