This week the international community witnessed the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) convening a Special Session focusing on the human rights situation in Burma.
Although the call by Portugal and 17 member states of the HRC to bring the rising violations in Burma to the discussion table at the newly created international human rights body was seen as a positive move, some NGOs reflected that it was a little late as the crackdown on demonstrators had started days earlier.
Either way, the convening of this session can still be seen as a good start in helping to publicise the terrible human rights situation in a country that has produced - through its own military oppression - 2 million refugees and asylum seekers, and hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons. It is also a good development from the perspective of Asian NGOs, as some of these groups had believed that issues in Asia has been neglected by the HRC due to the four previous special sessions focusing on Darfur, Lebanon and Palestine.
The one-day session saw a number of governments making positive interventions. The European Union delegates joined hands in condemning the violence committed by the junta, calling for an end to the crackdown and bringing the perpetrators to justice. They urged the Burmese junta to allow Professor Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Burma, to visit the country to assess the rights violations. Rangoon has denied Professor Pinheiro access to the country since 2003 - an act in defiance of the international human rights mechanism.
One of the most remarkable statements was by the Swedish diplomat, who was in Rangoon at the time of the violence, providing first-hand information to the HRC of the brutal crackdown on monks and demonstrators, as well as accounts of people being chased down alleys and shot by troops. Japan highlighted the killings as appalling, and called on the SPDC not to exercise "oppressive force". Mauritius said that the "free world will not tolerate the gunning down of people who are demanding freedom and justice".
The statements made by 50-plus countries in condemning the recent crackdown was a rare and magnificent show of unity. It illustrates that the momentum of the international community on Burma is on the rise - reflecting that the world is paying close attention to the situation. However, the outcome of the session, despite its resolution, fell far short of the high expectations of Burmese activists and NGOs. The resolution does not provide any unique or concrete means to end the violations.
The resolution's condemnation of the heinous actions of the generals and its call for the release of all political prisoners is still very weak - reflecting the similarity of resolutions made by the UN Commission for Human Rights, the predecessor body to the HRC. What is lacking in the resolution is an action-oriented determination. While the human rights groups recommended fact-finding consisting of thematic-based special procedures and a long-term independent monitoring team to be set up inside the country, the resolution only calls for the visit of the Special Rapporteur.
Even though the resolution is not what the NGOs hoped it would be, the call for the Special Rapporteur's urgent visit to Burma is still vital to the human rights development of the country.
The Asian HRC members, especially those in Asean, need to truly pressure the SPDC to accept the visit of Pinheiro. Asean cannot continue pushing along with its non-interference policy while its neighbour and fellow member kills its own people who are fighting empty handed for democracy.
There have been numerous reports of continued violations since the crackdown. There are unconfirmed reports that the number of those killed could be up to 1,000, while even the more conservative estimates says 200. These figures are contradictory to the numbers given by the junta.
The visit of Pinheiro is most important as there are reports of the junta launching house to house searches and raids during the night to arrest and detain those suspected of taking part in the demonstrations.
The testimony of an army major (who defected) that he was ordered to massacre monks is also dreadful. Many Burmese groups in exile have raised concerns about how monks vanished from the streets after the crackdown. Rumours continue to be heard about brutal reprisals by the military. Therefore, the visit of the Special Rapporteur to assess the human rights situation is very important in providing at least some information about what is currently going on inside Burma.
The people of Burma have suffered much in their struggle for democracy and human rights. The international community, especially those members of the Human Rights Council, should not fail them or let them wait any longer.
(First appears in The Nation, 10 October 2007)
Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/10/10/opinion/opinion_30051955.php
Although the call by Portugal and 17 member states of the HRC to bring the rising violations in Burma to the discussion table at the newly created international human rights body was seen as a positive move, some NGOs reflected that it was a little late as the crackdown on demonstrators had started days earlier.
Either way, the convening of this session can still be seen as a good start in helping to publicise the terrible human rights situation in a country that has produced - through its own military oppression - 2 million refugees and asylum seekers, and hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons. It is also a good development from the perspective of Asian NGOs, as some of these groups had believed that issues in Asia has been neglected by the HRC due to the four previous special sessions focusing on Darfur, Lebanon and Palestine.
The one-day session saw a number of governments making positive interventions. The European Union delegates joined hands in condemning the violence committed by the junta, calling for an end to the crackdown and bringing the perpetrators to justice. They urged the Burmese junta to allow Professor Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Burma, to visit the country to assess the rights violations. Rangoon has denied Professor Pinheiro access to the country since 2003 - an act in defiance of the international human rights mechanism.
One of the most remarkable statements was by the Swedish diplomat, who was in Rangoon at the time of the violence, providing first-hand information to the HRC of the brutal crackdown on monks and demonstrators, as well as accounts of people being chased down alleys and shot by troops. Japan highlighted the killings as appalling, and called on the SPDC not to exercise "oppressive force". Mauritius said that the "free world will not tolerate the gunning down of people who are demanding freedom and justice".
The statements made by 50-plus countries in condemning the recent crackdown was a rare and magnificent show of unity. It illustrates that the momentum of the international community on Burma is on the rise - reflecting that the world is paying close attention to the situation. However, the outcome of the session, despite its resolution, fell far short of the high expectations of Burmese activists and NGOs. The resolution does not provide any unique or concrete means to end the violations.
The resolution's condemnation of the heinous actions of the generals and its call for the release of all political prisoners is still very weak - reflecting the similarity of resolutions made by the UN Commission for Human Rights, the predecessor body to the HRC. What is lacking in the resolution is an action-oriented determination. While the human rights groups recommended fact-finding consisting of thematic-based special procedures and a long-term independent monitoring team to be set up inside the country, the resolution only calls for the visit of the Special Rapporteur.
Even though the resolution is not what the NGOs hoped it would be, the call for the Special Rapporteur's urgent visit to Burma is still vital to the human rights development of the country.
The Asian HRC members, especially those in Asean, need to truly pressure the SPDC to accept the visit of Pinheiro. Asean cannot continue pushing along with its non-interference policy while its neighbour and fellow member kills its own people who are fighting empty handed for democracy.
There have been numerous reports of continued violations since the crackdown. There are unconfirmed reports that the number of those killed could be up to 1,000, while even the more conservative estimates says 200. These figures are contradictory to the numbers given by the junta.
The visit of Pinheiro is most important as there are reports of the junta launching house to house searches and raids during the night to arrest and detain those suspected of taking part in the demonstrations.
The testimony of an army major (who defected) that he was ordered to massacre monks is also dreadful. Many Burmese groups in exile have raised concerns about how monks vanished from the streets after the crackdown. Rumours continue to be heard about brutal reprisals by the military. Therefore, the visit of the Special Rapporteur to assess the human rights situation is very important in providing at least some information about what is currently going on inside Burma.
The people of Burma have suffered much in their struggle for democracy and human rights. The international community, especially those members of the Human Rights Council, should not fail them or let them wait any longer.
(First appears in The Nation, 10 October 2007)
Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/10/10/opinion/opinion_30051955.php
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