UN envoy in Burma meets opposition parties

by Phanida

Wednesday, 06 August 2008 20:23

Chiang Mai – Tomas Ojea Quintana, the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights on Wednesday met senior members of Burma's main opposition party - National League for Democracy - and another major party - National Unity Party (NUP), sources said. Central Executive Committee members of the NLD U Lwin, Nyunt Wei and Than Tun on Wednesday met Quintana at Myayeiknyo Hotel in Bahan Township of Rangoon, Burma's former capital. NLD secretary U Lwin said, "We met him [Quintana] at about 1:30 p.m. In brief, he wanted to meet us all at the same time. But the National Unity Party (NUP) objected to this by saying that it was not suitable for them. Then he met us separately for about 15 minutes." During the meeting, NLD leaders briefed the UN envoy on the recent national constitutional referendum, their demand for the release of party leader Aung San Suu Kyi and political prisoners, and explained their objection to the forcible entry into the party headquarters by government-backed civil organizations including Union Solidarity and Development Association and Swan Arrshin. NLD leaders also brief about the unlawful arrest of NLD party members and explained in details of the Junta's human rights violations during the crackdown against monk-led protests in September 2007, party sources said. Quintana also met religious leaders, and cyclone victims in Irrawaddy Division on August 4, and long serving political prisoners including renowned journalist Win Tin, Ashin Gambira, a Buddhist monk who led the Saffron Revolution last year, labor rights activist Suu Suu Nwe and two other political prisoners during his visit to Insein prison on Tuesday. The UN envoy took charge in May last year and arrived in Burma for the first time on August 3. He will wind up his visit on August 7, the eve of 20th anniversary of the August 8, 1988, also known as 8.8.88, uprising, which was brutally crackdown by the military.   < Prev   Next >