Mizzima: UN should support international forum on Burma, says ACHR

[Mizzima News]

UN should support international forum on Burma, says ACHR

Mungpi, Mizzima (www.mizima.com)
March 22, 2004
New Delhi

Instead of passing a generic resolution on the human rights situation of
Burma at the 60th session of the United Nations Commission on Human
Rights (UNCHR), the United Nations should support a forum on
international support for national reconciliation in Burma, said Suhash
Chakma, director of the New Delhi-based Asian Centre for Human Rights
(ACHR), in his human rights feature published on 17 March.

“For the last ten years the Commission on Human rights has been passing
resolutions condemning Burma against human rights violations
 At the
moment the international forum for assisting Burma to return to
democracy is being facilitated by the Government of Thailand. And when
something of this nature is facilitated by the Government of India or
the Government of Thailand, whichever government it might be, they
always have their geo-political interests in mind. That’s why the United
Nations should give its imprimatur and all the meetings for this forum
should be held under UN auspices,” said Mr. Suhash.
The feature also emphasizes out the crucial role played by neighboring
countries and ASEAN in the mediation facilitated by the UN Secretary
General's Special Envoy.

Speaking to Mizzima in regard to the role of neighboring countries and
ASEAN, Mr. Suhash said, “neighboring countries so far have given
diplomatic support to the Burmese Government. I think it’s a very
substantive change when we talk about the restoration of democracy to
national reconciliation. At the beginning in the 1990s, people are
talking about a return to democracy and restoration of the government of
National League for Democracy. Now people are no longer talking about
the restoration of National League for Democracy, people are talking
about national reconciliation, which makes the military a legitimate
part of the future government. So the neighboring governments,
especially Thailand, India and China, have supported recognizing the
role of the military government in the future government of Burma.
That’s accepted. So now these governments (India, Thailand and China)
have to put pressure on Burma the fact that the other legitimate
constituents of the future government is the National League for
Democracy and the ethnic nationalities groups. So they have a huge role
to play in terms of convincing the military to accept this.”

The UNCHR, which has its annual session held in Geneva, Switzerland, has
constantly condemning human rights violations in Burma.

The ACHR monitors human rights situations in the Asian region. It aims
to convince governments in the region and throughout the world to
improve their human rights situations.



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