Gambari Visit Last Chance For UN Envoy to Make Progress in Burma

Ban Ki-moon must lead UN efforts on Burma.

The Burma Campaign UK today warned that Ibrahim Gambari’s next visit to Burma will be ‘make or break’ for the UN envoy’s efforts in Burma.

In February the regime announced it was defying UN Security Council and General Assembly requests to engage with a UN reconciliation effort led by Gambari. Instead it is going ahead with its own new constitution and elections that will ban Aung San Suu Kyi from standing as a candidate and continue military rule under a civilian guise. Burma’s 400,000 monks have also been banned from voting.

“Gambari must make the regime understand that it cannot continue with the sham referendum and elections it has proposed”, said Anna Roberts, Director of the Burma Campaign UK. “If Gambari comes back with anything less than a date for genuine talks with Aung San Suu Kyi and ethnic groups, and a commitment for the release of all political prisoners, then his mission has failed. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon should then go to Burma to deliver a message that the international community will no longer accept the regime defying the UN and continuing with human rights abuses.”

Gambari’s next visit will be the 35th time a UN envoy has visited Burma. Human rights abuses in Burma have escalated dramatically since the democracy uprising began just over six months ago. There are now more than 1,800 political prisoners in Burma. Attacks on Burma’s ethnic groups in Eastern Burma have also escalated.

Gambari has effectively been banned from Burma in recent months, with a planned visit in December repeatedly delayed by the regime, despite a statement of concern from the UN Security Council.

“Burma’s generals think they can carry on with business as usual, and sadly the UN’s soft peddling has reinforced that impression,” said Anna Roberts. “We need to see a much more robust approach from the UN. Ban Ki-Moon must take the lead on Burma, and he should have the backing of a binding UN Security Council resolution behind him.”

For more information contact Anna Roberts, Director, on 020 7324 4711

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