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Burma's opposition urges UN to take stronger action |
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by Solomon
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Monday, 08 September 2008 21:47 |
New Delhi - Two umbrella groups of Burmese opposition political parties on Monday called on the United Nations to enforce a stronger mission and enforce General Assembly resolutions on the military-ruled country.
The United Nationalities Alliance (UNA), a group representing several ethnic nationalities, and the veteran Politician Colleagues of Myanmar (VCP), in a letter urge the UN Secretary General, the five permanent Security Council members,\ and Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari, to take stronger initiatives to resolve Burma's political deadlock.
"We want the UN to follow exactly what it has decided in the General Assembly from 1994 to 2007," Nai Ngwe Thein, Secretariat of UNA told Mizzima.
Both the groups expressed disappointment over UN Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari's mission to Burma, saying his mission has thus far failed to bring any kind of change.
In the letter, the groups also expressed their frustration over the UN's failure to urge the Burmese military junta to abide by the Security Council's resolution of 11-10-2007 that calls on the release of all political prisoners and the kick-starting of a tripartite dialogue between the junta, democratic forces led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and ethnic groups.
"In all of his visits, the UN Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari failed to implement the UN's decisions," said Nai Ngwe Thein.
"We urge the UN to assign someone that can effectively carry out the UN mission on Burma in the future. Whoever it is needs to ensure the effectiveness of their mission," Nai Ngwe Thein added.
He added that Gambari, during his last visit, was only meeting with junta-backed organizations such as the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), while failing to meet key political parties including ethnic groups.
UNA, in the statement, also expressed its frustration of Gambari for talking on behalf of the junta about the upcoming 2010 general election.
The 2010 election is the fifth step of the junta's seven-step roadmap to democracy, which critics say will provide the junta's continued rule with a veneer of legitimacy.
"UN Envoy Ismail Razali [Gambari's predecessor] and Gambari both have failed to fulfill what is expected of them despite their many attempts," said Captain Min Lwin, spokesperson for the VPC-Myanmar.
He added that they would like to see the reformation of Burma under the UN's initiative and hope that a future UN Special Envoy will be more capable of implementing UN resolutions.
Min Lwin added, Gambari's mission is doubtful now, as he has gone astray of UN resolutions on the country.
However, the UN General Assembly President, on September 4, reiterated his continuing support of Gambari as Special Envoy to Burma and encouraged the military government to work closely with him.
"All Burmese people believe he [Gambari] will make some kind of change, but practically speaking he has done the opposite of what was hoped," Min Lwin remarked.
"We also hope and believe that the UN Security Council and other international communities will do the right thing regarding Burma," he concluded.
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