BURMA: UN condemns slow progress on democratic reform
Updated
More than three months after the Burmese junta's brutal crackdown on protestors, the UN Security Council has issued a statement calling the lack of progress towards diplomatic reform in Burma "disappointing". Significantly, it was signed by all fifteen Security Council members - including China, Indonesia and Vietnam. They've urged Burma to give UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari immediate access to the country, after he complained the junta was seeking to delay his next visit.
Presenter: Joanna McCarthy
Speakers: Exiled Burmese activist Maureen Aung Thwin, New York
THWIN: I think it is likely this statement will have some effect on the junta because I think the UN Security Council is like the most important instrument that the world has right now to try to affect the junta, because their membership in the UN in this one club is probably the most important club for them.
MCCARTHY: But as the Security Council statement points out all of their demands that were made last October, such as the release of political prisoners and genuine engagement with the opposition have been ignored. Are they likely to simply ignore this statement as well?
THWIN: Well if I were the junta I would know that this statement was agreed to by all the council members, including three from Asia, including their great supporter China, and Vietnam also their great supporter in ASEAN. So it's a very tiny thing to notice but it means that there's been a little bit of another shift, but more pressure could come on. After all the UN Security Council - what some of us would like to see is a binding resolution forcing them to do the things that they of course sign on to do many things, and also to implement the last presidential statement of October. And in general all the things that they've been asked to do.
MCCARTHY: And what's preventing a binding resolution at this stage?
THWIN: It depends on who you talk to. Many people say that China would veto it outright like they did last year. I'm not sure that China is prepared to keep vetoing things, especially this year when they trying to have a terrific image for the Olympics. So I don't think they can always count on that, and because China may be feeling more vulnerable, I'm not sure it is, that there's a good chance that the pressure may work more now. And seeing Vietnam agree to this statement is also I think significant.
MCCARTHY: Well Mr Gambari, the UN envoy on Burma is due to visit China and India this month. He says he wants concrete action and not just verbal support from Burma's neighbours. How do you interpret that statement?
THWIN: Well he says a lot of things so I don't interpret it more than just saying the same thing again. When he goes there he should, I don't know how strongly he delivers that statement.
MCCARTHY: There has been some cynicism about what his last two visits to Burma have actually achieved. What do you think of the role Mr Gambari has been playing in his dealings with the junta?
THWIN: I think he hasn't achieved very much because all he achieved since then was to be able to read a statement by Aung San Suu Kyi, who supposedly has met one of the junta representatives like for the fourth time, but there's no indication of whether they're just stalling for time, I mean she could meet them four thousand times and nothing may happen. So actually up till now it's been a failure, his attempts have been a failure. The UN Security Council also if they genuinely interested in seeing the junta do reform as they wish they must show that they are behind Gambari's visit. They can't just say oh, that's fine, that was a good report. They must have frequent briefings about it, they must condemn when there's no progress being made. And basically they must try to get a binding resolution if that's the only way.
