BurmaNet News: November 15 2002

[editor at burmanet.org]

November 15 2002 Issue #2122

INSIDE BURMA

Japan Today: UN envoy cancels meeting with Suu Kyi
Myanmar Time: Razali due for ninth visit as talks continue to progress
AFP: Myanmar’s generals not ready for talks: NLD
Xinhua: Employment increases 25 million in Myanmar in 14 years
Energy Compass: UN envoy seeks progress in Burma talks
AP Worldstream: UN envoy tells diplomats he may not quit yet
AFP: Two French nationals detained in Myanmar for illegal entry

REGIONAL

AFP: India to lift ban on separatist Naga guerrillas: sources
Myanmar Times: A time fo patience, advises Mahathir
Straits Times: Dams may give China control over Mekong
Irrawaddy: NE India markets opening
DPA: Police diffuse letter-bomb in Myanmar Embassy in the Philippines

INTERNATIONAL

Irrawaddy: Protesters stop by Burmese Embassy
M2 Presswire: UN Third Committee hears introduction on 13 draft
resolutions on human rights, including situations including
Myanmar


__INSIDE WASHINGTON______

Japan Today
November 15 2002

U.N. envoy cancels meeting with Suu Kyi

Friday, November 15, 2002 at 09:30 JST
YANGON — U.N. special envoy Razali Ismail, now in Myanmar to advance
dialogue between the junta and pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's
opposition camp, on Thursday canceled a scheduled meeting with Suu Kyi,
according to a senior official of her National League for Democracy (NLD).
NLD secretary U Lwin said Razali went to the NLD head office in the
evening and told U Lwin he canceled a planned visit to Shan State capital
Taunggyi. No reason was given, U Lwin said.
__________

Voice of America
November 15 2002

UN Envoy Wraps Up Burma Visit
By Scott Bobb
A United Nations special envoy is wrapping up a five-day visit to Burma
aimed at reviving stalled talks with pro-democracy leaders. Malaysian
diplomat Razali Ismail for the first time has met with Burma's senior
leader Than Shwe, but apparently did not see pro-democracy leader Aung San
Suu Kyi.
Officials of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, or NLD, say
U.N. envoy Razali Ismail briefed them about his efforts to speed up their
reconciliation talks with the Burmese government.
Party spokesman U Lwin said Mr. Razali told them he put forth proposals to
Senior General Than Shwe, whom he met for the first time. But he says the
Burmese leader responded by saying his government was already doing its
utmost for the Burmese people. U Lwin indicated little progress was
reported. "Progress? No. No progress," he said. "He had a chance of
meeting Than Shwe (for) the first time, but he didn't get the proper
answer from him. That might be rather disappointing."
Mr. Razali told reporters that his meeting with General Than Shwe and with
the second and third ranking members of the junta, Generals Maung Aye and
Khin Nyunt, was important, but he did not offer details.
NLD spokesman U Lwin said Mr. Razali intended to meet with Aung San Suu
Kyi, who is traveling in northern Shan state, but that he decided not to.
He was planning to go to Shan state to meet her, but he had to cancel,
finally," he said.
The spokesman said Mr. Razali did not give a reason for the cancellation.
He said the pro-democracy leader has received a warm welcome in Shan state
and indicated this is part of the party's efforts to rebuild after a
decade of suspended activities. "That is a normal visit during these days,
all over the country. Nothing special, but the same reason like the
previous trips to Mandalay Division, and Mon State, Pegu state, and so
on," he said.
Mr. Razali has visited Burma nine times over the past two years, seeking
to launch a dialogue to build a civilian democracy. The Burmese
authorities have allowed the NLD to resume political activities and have
released more than 600 political prisoners. But the talks have not
progressed beyond the confidence-building stage.
Western governments are urging Burmese authorities to speed up the talks
and say they will maintain economic sanctions against Burma until there is
more progress toward political reform.
_______

Myanmar Times
November 11-17 2002

Razali due for ninth visit as talks continue to progress
By Thet Khaing

THE United Nations special envoy, Mr Razali Ismail, is due to return to
Myanmar this week . The envoy’s five-day visit, which is due to begin on
November 12, will be his ninth since his appointment to the post in April
2000. "Government leaders indicated to my special envoy (Mr Razali) that
they would soon meet Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to discuss a wide range of
subjects," the UN secretary general, Mr Kofi Annan, said in a written
report to the UN General Assembly last week.  This will be one of the most
important advances for the national reconciliation talks between the two
sides since they began in October 2000. "Because of a better understanding
between the sides, confidence between them is judged to have increased as
well," Mr Annan said. Mr Annan called on both sides to maintain the
positive momentum achieved during the last two years of confidence
building talks and urged the government and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to begin
a dialogue on substantive political issues as soon as possible.  "It is
only through an all-inclusive dialogue that Myanmar will be able to ensure
that national reconciliation is durable and the transition to democracy
smooth," Mr Annan wrote. Mr Annan welcomed the release of about 400
political detainees, most of whom are members of the NLD, since the
national reconciliation talks began. He urged the government to release
remaining political detainees, saying such a move would be a barometer of
the progress of the talks, which have also resulted in the re-opening of
60 NLD offices throughout the country and the lifting of travel
restrictions on members of political parties. In the same report, Mr Annan
also welcomed the appointment of an International Labour Organisation
liaison officer in Yangon early last month. The appointment provides for
closer cooperation between Yangon and the Geneva-based ILO in efforts to
eradicate forced labour. The latest developments on the issue in Myanmar
will  be discussed during a two-week meeting of the ILO’s governing body,
which began in Geneva on November 7. The discussion will be based on
reports due to be presented by the liaison officer, Ms Hong-Trang
Perret-Nguyen, and by Mr. Léon de Riedmatten, who served as interim
liaison officer until late September. In the report released ahead of the
meeting, Mr de Riedmatten said he received satisfactory cooperation from
the government during a field trip to south-eastern Tanintharyi Division
last September. "This first field trip had suggested some possibilities
for initial cooperation on the ground between the ILO and the
authorities," Mr de Riedmatten wrote in the report released last week. Ms
Perret-Nguyen’s report is due to be released this week, an ILO official
said.
__________

Agence France-Presse
November 15 2002

Myanmar's generals not ready for talks: NLD

Myanmar's military leadership is still not ready to hold a crucial
political dialogue with the opposition aimed at beginning a transition to
democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) said
Friday.

The country's leader, Senior General Than Shwe, met with UN envoy Razali
Ismail Thursday in talks critical to the diplomat's bid to revitalise a
stalled reconciliation process.

But NLD spokesman U Lwin said after Razali briefed him on the talks that
he was concerned that little progress has been made.

"They are not ready yet," U Lwin told AFP of the junta's leaders, "but
still, they must get ready in due course. "We have to go through this, it
is critical," he said. "There is no way out unless we talk. It is the life
and death of the country."

Landmark contacts between the junta and the opposition have completed a
confidence-building stage, but since Aung San Suu Kyi's release from house
arrest in May a hoped-for political dialogue has failed to materialise.

The spokesman said Razali was "reluctant" to discuss the substance of his
15-minute meeting with Than Shwe, but said the envoy did get the
opportunity to pose key questions to the military leader about why a
dialogue had yet to take place.

It was not known if Than Shwe directly addressed the dialogue issue.

"Mr. Than Shwe said they are doing everything good for the country," U
Lwin said.

Razali is in the midst of his ninth mission to Myanmar and earlier this
week the envoy warned he would quit if the junta failed to make progress
on democratic reforms.

But U Lwin said Razali had assured him he would stay on as UN general
secretary Kofi Annan's personal representative to Myanmar.

"He said he will stay, yes," U Lwin said of Razali.

"He shared with us ... that he will keep on doing this, until he achieves
the objectives."

Razali told Malaysiakini Internet news service before departing for Yangon
that he was hoping to get the process moving again and wanted answers as
to why the dialogue process has slowed down.

He said he hoped to convey to Than Shwe the mounting international concern
over "why since the lifting on the restrictions on Suu Kyi in May, a
dialogue did not take place.

"A promise was made to me that there would be a dialogue," he said.

Razali is known to be deeply disappointed with the junta's refusal to
release some 1,300 political prisoners in the nation's jails.

In a meeting Thursday with ethnic party leaders he said he had urged Than
Shwe to hasten the release of political prisoners which began at the
beginning of 2001 and suggested 200 more be released by the end of the
year.

The international community appears also to be becoming increasingly
irritated with the junta's stalling tactics over political dialogue.

In a statement timed to coincide with Razali's visit, the United States
hit out at the ruling generals and said there was no sign that
"discussions critical to the future" were under way.

"Given such a positive step earlier this year, we expected that dialogue
between the regime in Burma and Aung San Suu Kyi would be well under way
by now," said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher.

The NLD's U Lwin said that despite the junta's apparant refusal to take
firm measures towards a transition, he saw the face-to-face meeting
between the UN envoy and Than Shwe as a step forward.

"Of course it is," U Lwin said. "We still have some contact or
communication. This is our only channel, so we must make good use of it."

Myanmar has been ruled for the past four decades by a military government
which has refused to cede power despite a landslide election victory
claimed by the NLD in 1990.
_____

Xinhua News Agency
November 15 2002

Employment increases 25 million in Myanmar in 14 years

YANGON, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) --The number of employees in Myanmar has
increased 7 million in the past 14 years since 1988, reaching the total
employment to 25 million now, official newspaper The New Light of Myanmar
said Friday.

These employees are mostly engaged in the industrial development in state,
cooperative and private sectors. Since privatization of state-owned
enterprises in 1995, the private sector has been playing a key role in the
development.

There are 53,338 businesses in Myanmar, of which 51,101 are private-run,
1,600 state-owned and 637 cooperative-operated.

With the establishment of the 18 industrial zones since 1995 for the
development of the private sector, there has been a total of 4,496
factories and plants in the country.

According to official statistics, the net value of goods produced in the
industrial sector increased 10,204 million kyats ( about 14.5 million US
dollars) in 2000-01, up 149.24 percent from 1988-89.

The paper said Myanmar's economy grew by 8.4 percent annually against the
target of 6 percent.
_____

Energy Compass
November 15 2002

UN envoy seeks progress in Burma talks

UN special envoy Razali Ismail traveled to Burma (Myanmar) this week
looking for a breakthrough in his efforts to persuade the country's
military rulers to begin talks with the opposition National League for
Democracy (NLD). Razali's visit included a meeting with NLD leader and
Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who was released from house arrest in
May, and who was the winner of 1990 elections subsequently ignored by the
military. UN-brokered "national reconciliation" talks between Suu Kyi and
the military junta in late 2000 led to the release of hundreds of
political prisoners and a promise from the generals of a transition to
democracy, but there has been little progress this year.

Oil and gas remains one of the few areas of the Burmese economy still
attracting foreign money. Unocal and Total Fina Elf remain major private
investors, although UK Premier Oil recently decided to dispose of its
interests in the country as part of a wider restructuring (EC Oct.18,p6).
The Indian state of West Bengal said this week that it was close to
reaching a deal with Burma on the import of gas via an offshore pipeline
to be routed through the Bay of Bengal.
_______

Associated Press Worldstream
November 15 2002

U.N. envoy tells diplomats he may not quit yet

The U.N. envoy to Myanmar on Friday made it clear that he will not quit in
frustration over the military government's apparent reluctance to start
talks with the opposition.

Malaysian diplomat Razali Ismail is now in Myanmar to push the slow moving
reconciliation process that he initiated between the junta and
pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in October 2000. Before arriving
here this week, Razali was quoted as saying by a Malaysian Internet news
site that he might quit if the junta does not make progress in the talks.

But after four days of meetings with opposition and government leaders,
Razali told ambassadors and diplomats of various countries that he will
return to Myanmar in January or February.

"The U.N. envoy said he's not quitting. His next visit depends on when the
international community wants him to come back to Myanmar," said a Western
diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. "He said he might return in
January or February."

Razali ends his five-day visit on Saturday.

After initial confidence-building talks with Suu Kyi, who was released
from 19 months of house arrest in May, the junta has given no indication
that it wants to hold talks on substantive issues.

Razali's latest visit, his ninth to the country, was focused on holding a
crucial meeting with junta leader Senior Gen. Than Shwe, which took place
Thursday but lasted only 15 minutes.

Asked if Razali was disappointed with the brief meeting, the diplomat said
Razali was happy that it took place and "he now has a better comprehension
of the complexities of the situation in Myanmar."

The junta took power since 1988 and called elections in 1990. However, it
refused to step down after Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party
won.
________

Agence France-Presse
November 15 2002

Two French nationals detained in Myanmar for illegal entry

Two French nationals have been detained in Myanmar for the past four days
after crossing into the military-ruled state from Thailand without visas,
a diplomat here said Friday.

The two men "have been detained since Tuesday at the border post because
they lacked visas, and verifications are being made," the French diplomat
told AFP. They crossed the border opposite the southern Thai city of
Ranong and were taken into custody at Kawthoung, in an area of southern
Myanmar known as Victoria Point.

The pair, who are in their thirties and hail from Paris and the
southeastern city of Toulon, "acknowledged they have crossed the border
without visas after they took a boat.

"They said they wanted simply to go and have a drink on the other side,"
the diplomat said.

The French Embassy in Yangon said it would make an official diplomatic
inquiry into the matter on Friday with Myanmar's ministry of foreign
affairs.

Myanmar is one of the world's most isolated nations and remains intensely
suspicious of foreigners crossing illegally into the country, particularly
those whom it believes may be dissidents or foreign correspondents posing
as tourists.

____REGIONAL_____

Agence France-Presse
November 15 2002

India to lift ban on separatist Naga guerrillas: sources

India was to lift a ban on a powerful northeastern tribal rebel group to
end separatist violence that has claimed 25,000 lives since 1947, the
Press Trust of India (PTI) reported Friday.

PTI said the decision to reverse the ban on the most powerful splinter of
the rebel Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) could pave the
way for peace talks and end five decades of bloodshed in Nagaland.

"The decision was taken last night at a meet convened by Prime Minister
Atal Behari Vajpayee to discuss the issue, which has been a long-pending
demand of NSCN leaders T. Muivah and I. C. Swu," PTI quoted government
sources as saying. Attending the meeting Thursday were Deputy Prime
Minister Lal Krishna Advani, National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra and
other top officials of the Indian government, the sources said.

"The ban on the NSCN, which was renewed two years ago, would be allowed to
lapse on November 26," a source said.

Advani, during a trip to the eastern city of Ranchi, said Friday that
preliminary parleys were likely to be held with NSCN leaders Muivah and
Swu before official-level peace talks could begin in India.

"The prime minister has left the nitty-gritty of lifting the ban to the
home ministry," PTI said.

The move, which comes amid a bilateral ceasefire, could help broker a
solution to the Naga insurgency in the country's troubled northeast, which
borders Bhutan, Bangladesh, China and Myanmar.

The last round of tentative peace talks between India's negotiator, K.
Padmanabhaiah, and Naga rebel leaders were in Amsterdam in July. Previous
rounds were held across South Asia.

The rebel leaders have in the past refused to meet in India due to the
sheaf of criminal charges pending against them in the states of Nagaland,
Manipur and Assam.

As a goodwill measure, the Nagaland state government has withdrawn cases
against the main leaders of NSCN.

The NSCN has fought for decades to create an independent homeland for
ethnic Nagas in the northeastern state of Nagaland, which borders Myanmar.

Last year India mulled extending the truce with the NSCN to Naga rebels in
neighboring states, but the move was scuttled amid violent protests by
members of separate ethnic groups who feared a "Greater Nagaland" was
being created.

The NSCN split in 1988 and New Delhi has separate ceasefire agreements
with the two rival groups.

The ceasefire with the faction led by Swu and Muivah opened August 1, 1997
and has been renewed annually since. The ceasefire with the junior NSCN
faction was implemented last year.
______

Myanmar Times
November 11-17 2002

A time for patience, advises Mahathir

PROGRESS is being made towards democratic reforms in Myanmar but they will
take time and the world needs to be patient, Malaysian Prime Minister
Mahathir Mohamad said last Thursday.  "The Myanmar government is taking
steps to release prisoners etcera, so to me that is progress," he told a
news conference in Kuala Lumpur.  Mahathir also referred to meetings
between the State Peace and Development Council government and the leader
of the National League for Democracy, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, as a good
sign, although "it’s not being publicised."  Asked if the government was
genuine in its promises to introduce democratic reforms, Mahathir said: "I
think eventually they will. It takes a little bit of time, we have to be
patient."  His comments came ahead of the ninth visit to Myanmar this week
by the United Nations special envoy to Myanmar, Malaysian diplomat and
businessman, Razali Ismail. In another development, the Japanese Prime
Minister, Mr Junichiro Koizumi, discussed Myanmar’s democratisation
process during a meeting with the Chairman of the State Peace  and
Development Council, Senior General Than Shwe, in Phnom Penh last week. Mr
Koizumi said he had encouraged Senior General Than Shwe to pursue
democratic reforms during the meeting on the sidelines of the Asean summit
last Tuesday. Mr Koizumi said he had told Senior General Than Shwe that
the international community was expecting Myanmar to continue with its
democratisation process and nation building. "And we count on further
efforts," Mr Koizumi said.  He quoted Senior General Than Shwe as saying
that Myanmar was continuing to pursue democracy and that the leader of the
National League for Demcoracy, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, was free to carry out
political activities across the country.  "Aung San Suu Kyi, he said, is
free to engage in political activity in any part of the country... and she
has been travelling to various parts of the country for her political
activity," Mr Koizumi said.
__

The Straits Times
November 15 2002

Dams may give China control over Mekong
By Edward Tang

Countries downstream fear a series of dams will damage the ecology and
hurt the livelihood of millions
BANGKOK - The old saying that Chinese and Thais are like one family
because they drink from the same river may no longer hold water today.
Plans by China to build a raft of hydroelectric dams on the Mekong River
and its bid to carve a new shipping route to serve Chinese cargo vessels
are creating ripples in neighbouring downstream countries such as
Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.
There are deep concerns in these communities that the construction
activities could damage the ecological system and hurt the livelihoods of
millions of farmers and fishermen.
The Mekong is the longest river in South-east Asia. The 4,800-km river
begins on the Tibetan plains in China and flows through Myanmar, Thailand,
Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia before emptying itself into Gulf of Thailand.
The river is a major lifeline for more than 60 million people who live in
the Mekong Basin, which covers an area of 800,000 sq km.
'Villagers living along the Mekong River say there are fewer and fewer
fish to catch,' said environmentalist Pruemrudee Daroung, who heads the
non-government organisation Towards Ecological Recovery And Regional
Alliance (Terra).
She told The Straits Times that the famous giant catfish which breeds near
the Thai section of the river had become almost extinct due to possible
disruption to the water level.
Residents in Chiang Rai, a northern Thai province, had reported a
declining water level in the river ever since the Manwan Dam was built
this year, she said.
The dam is the first of eight hydropower dams that China plans to build on
the river in Yunnan province during the next few years.
Critics said the dams would destroy the ecosystem and give China absolute
control over water levels in the Mekong.
Recently, China has also embarked on a project to create a new navigation
channel on the Mekong, which involved dynamiting extensive stretches of
coral reefs and rapids.
The new route, which has the support of the governments of Thailand,
Myanmar and Laos, will enable Chinese cargo ships of more than 100 tonnes
to travel from Simao in Yunnan to river ports of the neighbouring
countries.
Currently, only light vessels are able to ply the river safely because of
the shallow riverbed.
Critics say the destruction of reefs has resulted in stronger currents
eroding the riverbanks and causing major damage to fish breeding grounds
in downstream countries.
At a meeting last week in Thailand attended by officials, academics and
non-government interest groups, a Cambodian participant said marine life
in the Tonle Sap River has declined.
Another participant from Vietnam reported rice and shrimp farmers in the
Mekong Delta had complained about reduced water supply.
China was represented at the meeting, which was co-hosted by Terra and
Australia's Mekong Resource Centre, by two academics who are consultants
to the Chinese projects.
Ms Pruemrudee said that while they appeared to be receptive to the
concerns of other countries, there was no knowing what the official
Chinese positions were.
China recently entered into an agreement with other Mekong Basin countries
to form a regional power distribution system in which hydroelectric plants
in China, Myanmar and Laos will supply energy to Thailand, Vietnam and
Cambodia through an integrated grid.
There are concerns that the US$4.5-billion (S$8-billion) project will
trigger a cascade of new dams on the Mekong, which could be damaging to
the environment.
__________

Irrawaddy
November 15 2002

NE India Markets Opening
By Moitreyee Khaund/NE India

November 15, 2002—A fourteen-day trade exposition in Northeast India has
lured businesses from three Asian nations to come test the waters in this
remote region. Organizers say that foreign companies have historically
been reluctant to invest or trade here due to the prevalence of armed
conflict.
Representatives from Thailand, Nepal and Bangladesh are all present at the
expo, which opened on November 7 in Guwahati, the capital of India’s Assam
State, to introduce their products to the region. Burmese companies were
also invited to the event, but due to "security risks" none of them made
the journey.
The aim of the expo is to promote trade among Northeast India, Burma and
the Southeast Asian region, according to the event’s organizers. They said
locals were enthusiastic about the injection of new products, and that
Thai, Nepalese and Bengali companies were equally excited about gaining a
share of the market.
Due to the recent curbing of insurgent activity in the region, investors
say they are willing to give this isolated region tucked between Burma,
China, Bangladesh and Bhutan a chance.
"Our sales are very satisfactory," said a Thai businessman. "The Thai silk
and the handicrafts items have attracted customers during the last couple
of days." He added that he is also interested in taking his merchandise to
other regional markets.
The organizers had hoped that Burmese traders would come, saying the trade
volume between the two countries needs to be pumped up. However, they
expressed hope that in the future Burma would be able to participate in
regional trade. Burmese traders already send goods to Northeast India
through India’s Manipur State, but the amount remains insignificant.
"Our garments have a good demand in the Burmese markets so we are keen to
expand our business in Burma, which would improve the relations between
the countries," said one young trader. He also said that both India and
Burma needed to further relax trade guidelines in order to boost trade.
_________

Deutsche Presse-Agentur
November 15 2002

Police diffuse letter-bomb in Myanmar Embassy in the Philippines

Filippino explosives experts on Friday diffused a letter-bomb addressed to
the Myanmar (Burmese) Embassy in Manila, a police official said.

Senior Superintendent Jovy Gutierrez said the letter-bomb was received
Friday afternoon by a staff member of the Myanmar Embassy in Manila's
financial district of Makati. Gutierrez said the improvised explosive was
contained in a musical birthday card which was sent from Thailand to no
particular person in the Myanmar embassy.

"Embassy officials got suspicious and immediately contacted us," he said.
The Myanmar government recently issued an advisory to its embassies around
the world to handle letters from Thailand with caution.

Gutierrez said that upon visual examination by police explosive experts,
it was confirmed that the letter was actually a letter-bomb which
contained a electronic blasting cap.

He said the electronic blasting cap could blow off the hands of anyone who
opened the letter.

___INTERNATIONAL___

Irrawaddy
November 15 2002

Protesters Stop by Burmese Embassy
By Naw Seng

November 15, 2002—A group of French and foreign journalists demonstrated
in front of the Burmese Embassy in Paris earlier this week, drawing
attention to the country’s list of imprisoned writers as well as its zero
tolerance attitude towards press freedoms.
The event was organized by the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders
(RSF), and included demonstrations in front of four other Paris Embassies.
China, Kazakhstan, Cuba and Russia were also targeted by the group for
their draconian censorship laws and imprisonment of journalists.
While in front of the Burmese Embassy, protesters taped signs on the
Embassy gate reading: "When you enter here, you enter a country where news
is censored." A small sign with the words "Prison de Win Tin" was also
pasted on the Embassy placard, in reference to Burmese writer U Win Tin,
who has been jailed in Burma for more than 13 years.
RSF also held its annual "Sponsorship Day" yesterday, which encourages
individuals from around the world to actively publicize the plight of a
particular imprisoned writer.
The group estimates that 110 journalists are behind bars—including 24 in
Nepal, 16 in Burma, 11 in China and 10 in Iran. RSF just compiled its
first press freedom index, citing North Korea, China and Burma as the
worst violators of press freedoms and Finland, Iceland Norway and The
Netherlands as the most tolerant.
_______

M2 Presswire
November 15 2002

UN Third Committee hears introduction of 13 draft resolutions on human
rights, including situations in Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq,
Myanmar, Sudan

This morning the General Assembly's Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian,
Cultural) heard the introduction of 13 draft resolutions on human rights
questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective
enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Draft resolutions were
also introduced on human rights situations and the reports of special
rapporteurs and representatives.

Draft resolutions introduced on human rights questions, covered the issues
of cultural diversity; globalization; missing persons; religious
intolerance; responsibility of individuals, groups and organs of society;
regional arrangements; the United Nations Decade for Human Rights
Education; a democratic and equitable international order; and human
rights education.

The human rights situations in the Sudan, Myanmar, Iraq and the Democratic
Republic of the Congo were taken up in the introduction of drafts on human
rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives.

Introducing draft resolutions were representatives of Iran, Egypt,
Azerbaijan, Ireland, Norway, Belgium, Australia, Cuba, Denmark (on behalf
of the European Union) and Suriname. The Committee will reconvene tomorrow
at 10 a.m. to resume its general discussion on questions relating to
refugees, returnees and displaced persons and hear more introductions of
draft resolutions on human rights.

Introduction of Drafts

The Committee began its work by taking up draft resolutions on human
rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the
effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The representative of Iran introduced a draft on human rights and culture
(document A/C.3/57/L.41), which would have the Assembly urge States to
ensure that their political and legal systems reflected the multicultural
diversity within their societies. The representative of Iran said the
issue of cultural diversity and its relationship with human rights was
becoming an increasingly important aspect of life in the twenty-first
century. The draft resolution aimed to sensitize the international
community to the importance of respecting cultural diversity.

A draft resolution on globalization and its impact on the full enjoyment
of all human rights (document A/C.3/57/L.44) was introduced by the
representative of Egypt, and would have the Assembly call upon Member
States, relevant United Nations agencies, intergovernmental organizations
and civil society to promote equitable and environmentally sustainable
economic growth for managing globalization so that poverty was
systematically reduced and the international development targets met. The
representative of Egypt stressed that the draft aimed to ensure that the
process of globalization - a powerful and dynamic force - would be
utilized to the benefit of all countries and that human rights would not
be forgotten in this process.

The representative of Azerbaijan introduced a draft resolution on missing
persons (document A/C.3/57/L.46), which would have the Assembly call upon
States which were parties to an armed conflict to take immediate steps to
determine the identity and fate of persons reported missing and request
States to pay the utmost attention to cases of children reported missing.
The representative of Azerbaijan said that a number of Member States were
facing the problem of missing people, often due to armed conflict. It was
therefore necessary that the international community deal with this issue.

The next text before the Committee, on the elimination of all forms of
religious intolerance (document A/C.3/57/L.47), was introduced by the
representative of Ireland. Emphasizing that the right of freedom of
thought, conscience religion and belief is far-reaching and profound, that
draft would have the Assembly express its alarm that serious instances of
intolerance and discrimination on the grounds of religion and belief were
increasing in many parts of the world. The Assembly would therefore urge
States to take all necessary action to combat hatred, intolerance,
intimidation and acts of violence based on religion or belief.

The representative of Norway introduced the draft on the Declaration on
the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society
to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental
Freedoms (document A/C.3/57/L.51), noting that the text was often referred
to as the draft on "human rights defenders". It would have the Assembly
express its grave concern regarding human rights violations committed
against persons engaged in promoting and defending human rights around the
world. That text would have the Assembly condemn all human rights
violations committed against human rights defenders and urge States to
take all appropriate action, consistent with the Declaration and all other
human rights instruments, to eliminate such violations.

Next, the representative of Belgium introduced the draft on regional
arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights (document
A/C.3/57/L.52). He said there had been considerable progress in regional
cooperation in recent months and underlined that regional arrangements
should reinforce universal human rights standards as contained in
international human rights instruments. The draft would have the Assembly
request the Secretary-General to continue to strengthen exchanges between
the United Nations and regional intergovernment organizations dealing with
human rights and to make available adequate resources from within the
regular budget, for technical cooperation, to the Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights to promote regional arrangements.

The text on the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education,
1994-2004 (document A/C.3/57/L.54) was introduced by the representative of
Australia, who said the draft, which had nearly 100 sponsors, aimed to
promote sustained and effective human rights education as an important
part of international efforts to achieve universal human rights. The text
would urge all Governments to contribute further to the implementation of
the Decade's Action Plan, by in particular, initiating and developing
cultural and educational programmes aimed at countering racism, racial
discrimination and xenophobia, as emphasized at the Durban World
Conference against Racism.

A draft resolution, introduced by the representative of Cuba, on the
promotion of a democratic and equitable international order (document
A/C.3/57/L.55) would have the Assembly urge all actors on the
international scene to build an international order based on inclusion,
justice, equality and equity, human dignity, mutual understanding and
promotion of and respect for cultural diversity and universal human
rights. The representative of Cuba said this draft showed the great hopes
of a great number of co-sponsors for justice and equality in the form of a
democratic and equitable international order.

The Committee then took up draft resolutions on human rights questions,
human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and
representatives.

In this connection, the representative of Denmark, on behalf of the
European Union, introduced a draft resolution on the situation of human
rights in the Sudan (document A/C.3/57/L.43), by which the Assembly would
urge all parties to the conflict to seize the prospect of peace to ensure
continued progress in the fields of human rights, democratization and the
rule of law. By the terms of the text, the Assembly would also call upon
the Government of Sudan to comply fully with its obligations under
international law, to end impunity for human rights violations and to try
perpetrators in accordance with the rule of law. The representative of
Denmark said that there had been positive developments in Sudan; however
the European Union remained deeply concerned about the humanitarian and
human rights situation in the Sudan. She added that the language of the
text was still being negotiated and that a final revised text would be
issued at a later date.

The representative of Denmark, on behalf of the European Union, also
introduced a draft resolution on the situation of human rights in Myanmar
(document A/C.3/57/L.48), which expressed its grave concern at the ongoing
systematic violation of the human rights, including civil, political,
economic, social and cultural rights of the people of Myanmar. The text of
the draft would have the Assembly strongly urge the Government of Myanmar
to end the systematic violations of human rights in Myanmar, to end
impunity, and to investigate and bring to justice any perpetrators of
human rights violations. The representative of Denmark said the draft
resolution was the outcome of constructive dialogue between concerned
Member States, including with the Government of Myanmar. He noted the
recent positive developments in Myanmar, including the release of several
political prisoners, but expressed concern as to the overall human rights
situation in the country.

On behalf of the European Union, the representative of Denmark went on to
introduce the draft resolution on the human rights situation in Iraq
(document A/C.3/57/L.49). He said the draft welcomes the fact that the
Government of Iraq had allowed the first visit of the Special Rapporteur,
which would hopefully serve as a basis for future cooperation and further
dialogue.

He added, however, that the text expressed grave concern that the human
rights situation in the country had not improved, and it would have the
Assembly call upon the Government to end all human rights violations and
to put a moratorium on all executions, as recommended by the Rapporteur.

The text also calls upon the Government to cooperate further with
international agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to
provide humanitarian assistance and monitoring in the northern and
southern areas of the country.

The text on the human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo (document A/C.3/57/L.50) was also introduced by the representative
of Denmark on behalf of the European Union, who said the draft recalled
the ceasefire agreement signed at Lusaka, as well as the Kampala
disengagement plan and the peace agreement signed at Pretoria, and
encouraged the Congolese parties to use the present momentum to promote an
all inclusive conclusion to the inter-Congolese dialogue.

The draft would also have the Assembly express its concern regarding
breaches of freedom of expressions and other violations of human rights
and fundamental freedoms and international humanitarian law, primarily in
the eastern part of the country. It urged all parties to the conflict to
cease military activities in the country in order to re-establish the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo.

Delegations then took up the text on human rights education (document
A/C.3/57/L.45), which was introduced by the representative of Suriname,
who stressed the importance of human rights education as a key to
development. The draft would have the General Assembly express its
conviction that human rights education and information contribute to the
concept of development consistent with the dignity of women and men of all
ages, which takes into account particularly vulnerable segments of society
such as children, youth, older persons, indigenous people, minorities,
rural and urban poor, migrant workers, refugees, persons with disabilities
and persons with HIV/AIDS.