Myanmar moving forward despite critical challenges – UN envoy

Myanmar moving forward despite critical challenges – UN envoy

Published on Thursday, 22 August 2013 19:51

Tomás Quintana speaking at a press conference in Yangon International Airport

Myanmar is moving forward despite facing critical challenges in national reconciliation and human rights according to U.N. envoy.

U.N. special rapporteur Tomás Quintana was speaking at a press conference to mark the end of his 10-day mission on August 21 at Yangon International Airport.

"Myanmar is moving forward in a significant number of areas, which has brought positive changes to the human rights situation, and has the potential to bring further improvements. However, there are still critical challenges, including the historical need of reconciliation with ethnic groups," said Quintana in his closing remarks.

Quintana visited numerous regions and met with ministers, local officials, civil society organisations as well as citizens, ethnic groups and political prisoners. This is his eighth visit to Myanmar as the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights.

The U.N special envoy raised an incident in Meiktila when crowds descended on his car on Monday punching and kicking the windows as the police stood back. He highlighted the government's obligation to take action against violent mobs and to hold accountable those who fail to do their duty.

"The fear that I felt during this incident, being left totally unprotected by the nearby police, gave me an insight into the fear residents would have felt when being chased down by violent mobs during the violence last March as police allegedly stood by as angry mobs beat, stabbed and burned to death some 43 people," said Quintana.

Quintana visited many areas that were affected by communal violence in 2012 and earlier this year including Rakhine State. Protestors confronted the U.N envoy when he arrived in Sittwe claiming that the he was ignoring the concerns of Buddhist Rakhine residents.

While he lauded the government's efforts to work with the international community to address the humanitarian needs of both Rakhine Buddhists and Muslims, he also criticised the severe restrictions placed on IDP camps and villages.

"I visited Aung Mingalar, the only remaining Muslim ward in Sittwe, where a large number of people are living in a confined space, with the periphery marked out with barbed wire and guarded by armed police. This has serious consequences for fundamental human rights," said the U.N envoy.

"My overriding concern is that the separation and segregation of communities in Rakhine State is becoming increasingly permanent, making the restoration of trust difficult," he added.

Quintana commended President Thein Sein for his efforts to secure the release of all remaining political prisoners by the end of this year and hoped to see the promise realised.

He finally thanked the Myanmar Government for its invitation and cooperation, reaffirming his willingness to work with Myanmar during its transition to improve the human rights of its people.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/myanmar-moving-forward-despite-critical-challenges-un-envoy/