BURMA: Released prisoners tell stories of torture; ICRC role needed
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AHRC-STM-199-2009
September 24, 2008
A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission
BURMA: Released prisoners tell stories of torture; ICRC role needed
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) welcomes the release of prisoners from jails around Burma during the last week, especially human rights defenders and persons who were detained during and after the protests of August and September 2007, including numbers of persons on whose cases the AHRC has issued urgent appeals. However, it notes with grave concern the reports of torture that some detainees experienced during interrogation. The physical and mental injuries caused in this period were either not adequately treated or not treated at all during the detainees' incarceration, causing some of them lifelong damage. Among those cases that have been reported in the media:
Ko Myo Yan Naung Thein, a former technical institute student, was assaulted by unknown assailants and taken from a march during September 2007; he suffered injuries to his nerves during torture under interrogation and did not get adequate treatment in Sittwe Prison; he is now reportedly unable to walk.
Ko Bo Bo, a former student leader also known as Ko Moe Kyaw Thu, had been imprisoned on a range of charges since 1992. He told Radio Free Asia (RFA) that after his arrest he was taken to a military intelligence unit in Rangoon where he was hooded and repeatedly assaulted, denied water and refused access to a toilet. During his term at Ohboe Jail he was twice seriously assaulted, in 2000 and 2005, causing him to suffer constant headaches.
U Aung Myint, who was also detained after September 2007 and jailed on a two-year sentence at Myaungmya, of which he served nearly the full time, also told RFA that he and other prisoners had been tortured and had not received timely medical attention during imprisonment.
The AHRC believes that there will have been many other instances of torture and assault during interrogation and imprisonment followed by a subsequent lack of appropriate treatment--constituting an additional form of cruel and inhuman treatment and punishment--among the persons released last week. It is also aware that such treatment is by no means confined to cases of political detainees. Torture and abuse of persons in custody is endemic across all types of cases in Burma, and had ordinary criminal detainees also been interviewed many, perhaps most, would have had similar stories to tell.
Accordingly, the Asian Human Rights Commission takes this opportunity to again call for the maximum amount of global effort to have the mandate of the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit detention facilities in Burma renewed without further delay. Although renewal of the mandate--which the group suspended in 2005 because of the government's failure to respect its internationally-recognized conditions--cannot fully prevent torture or protect detainees from abuse, it would be a practical and quickly-implementable step to reduce the incidence of abuse and ameliorate some of its worst consequences.
Renewal of the ICRC prison visits mandate is long overdue. There is absolutely no reason for the government of Burma to object to the visits, given that the agency is bound by confidentiality, and the visits cost the government nothing. If then this much cannot be done, what good can be said of the release of a few thousand shattered bodies, while tens of thousands more continue to have the same types of abuses heaped upon them daily?
# # #
About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.
Posted on 2009-09-24
Thursday, 24 September 2009
Secretary-General's statement to the media on the High-Level Meeting of the Group of Friends on Myanmar [read by Mr. Ibrahim Gambari, Special Adviser
Secretary-General's statement to the media on the High-Level Meeting of the Group of Friends on Myanmar [read by Mr. Ibrahim Gambari, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General]
New York, 23 September 2009
Today I convened the second meeting of the Group of Friends on Myanmar at the level of Foreign Ministers. The high turnout demonstrates the strong collective interest of all the Friends in the future of Myanmar, and re-affirms the broad support for my good offices.
The year 2010 will be a critical year for Myanmar. The first planned election in twenty years must be held in an inclusive and credible manner to advance prospects for stability, democracy and national development.
As I said today in my address to the General Assembly, we will work hard for democracy, national reconciliation and human rights in Myanmar. The release of some political prisoners last week is a step in the right direction, but it falls short of our expectations. All political prisoners must be released -- including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
Our meeting today has given the Group of Friends an opportunity to consolidate unity of purpose and action in three important respects, and I call on the Friends, especially Myanmar's friends and neighbours, to do more in the best interests of Myanmar and its people.
First, to urge Myanmar to work with the United Nations to ensure an inclusive process of dialogue and create the necessary conditions for credible elections consistent with the five-point agenda that the Group of Friends has endorsed, and with the proposals that I left with Myanmar's senior leadership during my recent visit.
Second, to uphold the role of the United Nations with regard to Myanmar's immediate and long-term challenges. The UN has invaluable experience in fostering national reconciliation, promoting respect for human rights, supporting sustainable development and helping countries make the transition to democracy.
Third, to signal the international community's willingness to help the people of Myanmar address the political, humanitarian and development challenges they face, in parallel and with equal attention, and in particular to advance the Millennium Development Goals. But, Myanmar needs to help us to help them.
I am encouraged by the constructive spirit of the discussions so far. I welcome the willingness of the Friends to make joint efforts towards national reconciliation, a democratic transition and genuine respect for human rights in Myanmar.
Thank you.
Remarks at United Nations After P-5+1 Meeting
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
United Nations
New York City
September 23, 2009
SECRETARY CLINTON: (In progress) to give you brief readouts on two meetings this afternoon. The first was a meeting I participated in called by Security Council Ban Ki-moon about the policies and approaches toward Burma. A number of countries were represented, and I reported that our policy process, which has been underway for some time now, is almost complete, and I gave a preview.
I had announced this review back in February, and the major messages are as follows. First, the basic objectives are not changed. We want credible, democratic reform; a government that respond to the needs of the Burmese people; immediate, unconditional release of political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi; serious dialogue with the opposition and minority ethnic groups. We believe that sanctions remain important as part of our policy, but by themselves, they have not produced the results that had been hoped for on behalf of the people of Burma.
Engagement versus sanctions is a false choice, in our opinion. So going forward, we will be employing both of those tools, pursuing our same goals. And to help achieve democratic reform, we will be engaging directly with Burmese authorities. This is a policy that has broad consensus across our government, and there will be more to report as we go forward.
Secondly, most of you were here when Foreign Minister Miliband read out the statement that has been negotiated among the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, Russia, and of course, the European Union as represented by the High Representative Javier Solana. Let me just make four points about this statement, which I hope you will get a copy of and peruse, because I think it’s a very powerful statement that expresses these specific agreements.
First, the group remains united in pressing Iran to comply with its international obligations on its nuclear program, and it has serious concerns about Iran’s lack of compliance to date, particularly on the unanswered questions about the possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear program.
Secondly, the countries remain united in support of a dual track of engagement and pressure as a means of persuading Iran to comply with its obligations.
Thirdly, the ministers expressed a clear expectation that Iran should come to the talks on October 1st, ready to engage in serious and substantive discussions with a sense of urgency and a review of the practical steps that need to be taken on the nuclear issue, and that we will decide next steps on the basis of the meeting’s outcome.
And finally, we are committed to this dual-track policy. No one should underestimate our intention to follow through on either or both of these tracks. It depends on Iran’s response. And some of you have heard me say this numerous times – this process is now firmly up to Iran. It is Iran’s choice as to how they choose to proceed. And we are looking to the meeting on October 1st to get a clear indication of their intentions.
So those are the two meetings that I know have particular interest to a number of you, that I wanted to give you quick readout.
QUESTION: Secretary Clinton, did you discuss in any detail enhanced sanctions, and did you sound out the Chinese and the Russians as to their willingness to join, if necessary, the first part if your dual strategy doesn’t produce results?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, Mark, we have agreed among us that we’re not going to go beyond what is in this statement, because the statement represents a very significant level of agreement among all of us. It clearly references the dual-track policy, and it clearly references consequences. So I think that we will now await the results of the October 1st meeting and take stock at that time.
QUESTION: How exactly do you intend to engage directly with the Burmese authorities?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, again, we will be offering more specifics about that. But I wanted to preview this policy for our partners in the Friends of Burma group, and also to signal that the United States will be moving in a direction of both engagement and continued sanctions, to be sure that the Burmese leaders – some of whom, as you know, are in our country or about to come to our country – understand where we are in our policy review process.
QUESTION: Secretary Clinton, what specifically do you need to see from Iran after this talk for them to avoid consequences? When you say you want a clear indication of their intentions, what do you need to see?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, I will speak for myself and for our Administration. As we have said consistently, we want to see a serious effort by Iran to discuss the nuclear issue, which we are putting on the table, as we have made clear in this statement. And we are also looking for Iran to recognize that they are at a turning point. They have a choice to make. We have consistently said that Iran is entitled to peaceful nuclear power. They are not entitled to a nuclear weapons program. They do have rights, which we are willing to respect and recognize. But they also have responsibilities.
And as we set forth in this agreement, the serious concerns of the international community have been set out in five separate Security Council resolutions. So it is time for Iran to engage with the international community – this process is set up to do that – and for them to accept the opinion of the international community as referenced in this statement that they need to make clear their nuclear program, invite the IAEA in to see everything, and work toward peaceful nuclear energy that can be verified and completely accepted by the international community. Thank you.
Ban calls for international action to help ensure credible elections
23 September 2009 – Myanmar’s friends and neighbours must “do more in the best interests of Myanmar and its people” by persuading the Government to hold credible elections next year, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.
“We will work hard for democracy, national reconciliation and human rights in Myanmar,” Mr. Ban said as he convened a meeting of the Group of Friends on Myanmar, comprising 14 countries and one regional bloc.
“The year 2010 will be a critical year for Myanmar. The first planned election in 20 years must be held in an inclusive and credible manner to advance prospects for stability, democracy and national development,” he added in a statement read to the media by his Special Adviser, Ibrahim Gambari.
Mr. Ban cited three important aspects for action by the Friends. First, they should urge Myanmar to work with the UN to ensure an inclusive process of dialogue and create the necessary conditions for credible elections.
Second, they should uphold the UN role with regard to Myanmar’s immediate and long-term challenges since the Organization has invaluable experience in fostering national reconciliation, promoting respect for human rights, supporting sustainable development and helping countries make the transition to democracy.
Finally, they should signal the international community’s willingness to help the people of Myanmar address the political, humanitarian and development challenges they face.
As he did last week, Mr. Ban called the recent release of some political prisoners a step in the right direction, but one that did not go far enough. All political prisoners must be released, including democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, he said.
The Group of Friends, founded in December 2007, represents a balanced range of views on Myanmar and was established to hold informal discussions and develop shared approaches to support UN efforts. Its members are Australia, China, the European Union, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Norway, Russia, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States and Viet Nam.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
General Assembly
23 September 2009
Report to the United Nations - "Now Is Our Time"
Mr. President,
Distinguished Heads of State and Government,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Mr. President, let me express my heartfelt congratulations on your assumption of the presidency. I wish you every success and assure you of my full support.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We gather each and every September in a solemn rite. We come to reaffirm our founding Charter — our faith in fundamental principles of peace, justice, human rights and equal opportunity for all. We assess the state of the world, engage on the key issues of the day, lay out our vision for the way ahead.
This year the opening of the General Debate of the 64th session of the General Assembly asks us to rise to an exceptional moment. Amid many crises -- food, energy, recession and pandemic flu, hitting all at once -- the world looks to us for answers.
If ever there were a time to act in a spirit of renewed multilateralism -- a moment to create a United Nations of genuine collective action -- it is now.
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Now is our time. A time to put the “united” back into the United Nations. United in purpose. United in action.
First — let us make this a year that we, united nations, rise to the greatest challenge we face as a human family: the threat of catastrophic climate change. Yesterday, 100 heads of state and government set out the next steps toward Copenhagen . They recognized the need for an agreement all nations can embrace, in line with their capabilities -- consistent with what science requires -- grounded in “green jobs” and “green growth,” the lifeline of the 21 st century. Our road to Copenhagen requires us to bridge our differences. I firmly believe we can.
Second — let this be the year that nations united to free our world of nuclear weapons. For too long, this great cause has lain dormant. That is why, last October, I proposed a 5-point plan for putting disarmament back on the global agenda. And now, the international climate is changing. The Russian Federation and the United States have pledged to cut their nuclear arsenals. This coming May, at the United Nations Review Conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, we have an opportunity to push for real progress.
Tomorrow's historic Security Council summit — chaired by the President of the United States, with us for the first time — offers a fresh start. With action now, we can get the ratifications to bring the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty into force. Together, let us make this the year we agreed to banish the bomb.
Third — in our fight against world poverty, let this be the year we focus on those left behind. Some speak of “green shoots of recovery,” but we see red flags of warning. Our recent report, “Voices of the Vulnerable,” highlights a new crisis. The near-poor are becoming the new poor. An estimated 100 million people could fall below the poverty line this year. Markets may be bouncing back, but incomes and jobs are not.
People are angry. They believe the global economy is stacked against them. That is why we have put forward a Global Jobs Pact for balanced and sustainable growth. That is why we are creating a new Global Impact Vulnerability Alert System, giving us real-time data and analysis on the socio-economic picture around the world. We need to know who is being hurt, and where, so we can best respond.
That is also why, next year at this time, we will convene a special summit on the Millennium Development Goals. With only five years to go, we must mount a final push toward 2015. Rightly, we put women and children at the fore. UNICEF reports a 28 percent decline in child mortality over the past two decades. We can hope for similar progress on maternal health and mortality.
The prevention of sexual violence against women must be a top priority. Let us agree: these acts are an abomination. Leaders of every nation are personally accountable when such crimes are committed within their borders. When women die in childbirth, when they are raped as a weapon of war and have nowhere to turn, we of the United Nations cannot look the other way. And that is why, just recently, you agreed to create a single agency to address women's issues. We have never been more empowered to empower women.
Excellencies,
This Assembly also reaffirmed the responsibility to protect. In our modern era, no nation, large or small, can violate the human rights of its citizens with impunity. Where conflicts arise, justice and accountability should follow.
That is why the work of the International Criminal Court is so vital. We look to the review conference in Kampala , next May, as an opportunity to strengthen its mandate.
We can achieve none of our noble goals without peace, security and justice. In Darfur , that means consolidating recent progress and delivering on our mandate. We will be 90 percent deployed by year's end. Yet we still lack critical assets, particularly transport and helicopters. Meanwhile, we must continue to work, urgently, for the broader stability of Sudan and the region and shore up the comprehensive peace with South Sudan .
Somalia continues to demand attention whether to support African peacekeepers and the government or international anti-piracy efforts.
We will continue to press for resettlement, reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka . We welcome the government's commitment to allow all displaced persons to return to their homes by the end of January — as reaffirmed last week to my envoy.
We will work hard for freedom and democracy in Myanmar . The release of some political prisoners last week falls short of what is needed. We call on Myanmar 's friends and neighbors to do more, much more, in the best interests of Myanmar and its people. If next year's elections are to be accepted as credible and inclusive, all political prisoners must be released -- including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
We worked to stop the bloodshed in Gaza . Yet people continue to suffer. Issues of justice and accountability need to be addressed. We must revive negotiations toward a two-state solution and a comprehensive peace in the Middle East . We support President Obama's efforts for a resumption of peace talks and will work with the Quartet to that end.
In Afghanistan , we face a difficult environment. Recent elections revealed serious defects. Yet we should not forget the progress made -- progress we can build on. We are committed to seeing the Afghans through their long night. We will stay with them. We pledge to stand, as well, with the people of Pakistan .
We have made significant progress in Timor Leste, Haiti , Sierra Leone and Nepal . We see quiet progress in Iraq -- and fresh opportunities in Cyprus . Now is the time to take stock and move forward.
Excellencies, Distinguished Heads of State and Government, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me close by inviting you to look around you. By the end of this General Assembly, our Secretariat building will be empty. Our staff will have dispersed across the city. Our United Nations will be completely renovated. Our common ambition is to make this outward renovation the symbol of our inward renewal .
That is why we have placed such emphasis on building a stronger United Nations for a better world. We have made progress in Delivering as One UN. We have made strides in getting “peace-building” right, so that societies emerging from war do not slide back into conflict. We have sharpened our tools of mediation and diplomacy so that we can stop crises from escalating into broader and more costly tragedies. We created the Department of Field Support, and we are developing the “New Horizons” strategy to make peacekeeping more agile and effective.
In this, we need the strong support of Member States, just as we do to secure the safety of our brave staff serving in dangerous places, too many of whom have lost their lives in the causes we all serve.
Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Heads of State and Government, Ladies and Gentlemen,
This year, I have traveled from the ice rim of the Arctic to the steppes of Mongolia . I have seen, first-hand, the effects of climate change on our planet and its people.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo , I met an 18-year-old girl raped by soldiers. Her hope for a new life is the United Nations.
At summits from Trinidad and Tobago , London to L'Aquila , I have spoken out on one point above all others.
We of the United Nations are the voice of the voiceless, the defenders of the defenseless.
If we are to offer genuine hope to the hopeless, if we are to truly turn the corner to economic recovery, then we must do so for all nations and for all people. So much is possible if we work together. Together, we are here to take risks, to assume the burden of responsibility, to rise to an exceptional moment, to make history. This year, of all years, asks no less.
Because we are the United Nations. We are the best hope for humankind. And now is our time.
Thank you very much for your leadership and commitment. Thank you.
New York, 23 September 2009
Today I convened the second meeting of the Group of Friends on Myanmar at the level of Foreign Ministers. The high turnout demonstrates the strong collective interest of all the Friends in the future of Myanmar, and re-affirms the broad support for my good offices.
The year 2010 will be a critical year for Myanmar. The first planned election in twenty years must be held in an inclusive and credible manner to advance prospects for stability, democracy and national development.
As I said today in my address to the General Assembly, we will work hard for democracy, national reconciliation and human rights in Myanmar. The release of some political prisoners last week is a step in the right direction, but it falls short of our expectations. All political prisoners must be released -- including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
Our meeting today has given the Group of Friends an opportunity to consolidate unity of purpose and action in three important respects, and I call on the Friends, especially Myanmar's friends and neighbours, to do more in the best interests of Myanmar and its people.
First, to urge Myanmar to work with the United Nations to ensure an inclusive process of dialogue and create the necessary conditions for credible elections consistent with the five-point agenda that the Group of Friends has endorsed, and with the proposals that I left with Myanmar's senior leadership during my recent visit.
Second, to uphold the role of the United Nations with regard to Myanmar's immediate and long-term challenges. The UN has invaluable experience in fostering national reconciliation, promoting respect for human rights, supporting sustainable development and helping countries make the transition to democracy.
Third, to signal the international community's willingness to help the people of Myanmar address the political, humanitarian and development challenges they face, in parallel and with equal attention, and in particular to advance the Millennium Development Goals. But, Myanmar needs to help us to help them.
I am encouraged by the constructive spirit of the discussions so far. I welcome the willingness of the Friends to make joint efforts towards national reconciliation, a democratic transition and genuine respect for human rights in Myanmar.
Thank you.
Remarks at United Nations After P-5+1 Meeting
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
United Nations
New York City
September 23, 2009
SECRETARY CLINTON: (In progress) to give you brief readouts on two meetings this afternoon. The first was a meeting I participated in called by Security Council Ban Ki-moon about the policies and approaches toward Burma. A number of countries were represented, and I reported that our policy process, which has been underway for some time now, is almost complete, and I gave a preview.
I had announced this review back in February, and the major messages are as follows. First, the basic objectives are not changed. We want credible, democratic reform; a government that respond to the needs of the Burmese people; immediate, unconditional release of political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi; serious dialogue with the opposition and minority ethnic groups. We believe that sanctions remain important as part of our policy, but by themselves, they have not produced the results that had been hoped for on behalf of the people of Burma.
Engagement versus sanctions is a false choice, in our opinion. So going forward, we will be employing both of those tools, pursuing our same goals. And to help achieve democratic reform, we will be engaging directly with Burmese authorities. This is a policy that has broad consensus across our government, and there will be more to report as we go forward.
Secondly, most of you were here when Foreign Minister Miliband read out the statement that has been negotiated among the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, Russia, and of course, the European Union as represented by the High Representative Javier Solana. Let me just make four points about this statement, which I hope you will get a copy of and peruse, because I think it’s a very powerful statement that expresses these specific agreements.
First, the group remains united in pressing Iran to comply with its international obligations on its nuclear program, and it has serious concerns about Iran’s lack of compliance to date, particularly on the unanswered questions about the possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear program.
Secondly, the countries remain united in support of a dual track of engagement and pressure as a means of persuading Iran to comply with its obligations.
Thirdly, the ministers expressed a clear expectation that Iran should come to the talks on October 1st, ready to engage in serious and substantive discussions with a sense of urgency and a review of the practical steps that need to be taken on the nuclear issue, and that we will decide next steps on the basis of the meeting’s outcome.
And finally, we are committed to this dual-track policy. No one should underestimate our intention to follow through on either or both of these tracks. It depends on Iran’s response. And some of you have heard me say this numerous times – this process is now firmly up to Iran. It is Iran’s choice as to how they choose to proceed. And we are looking to the meeting on October 1st to get a clear indication of their intentions.
So those are the two meetings that I know have particular interest to a number of you, that I wanted to give you quick readout.
QUESTION: Secretary Clinton, did you discuss in any detail enhanced sanctions, and did you sound out the Chinese and the Russians as to their willingness to join, if necessary, the first part if your dual strategy doesn’t produce results?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, Mark, we have agreed among us that we’re not going to go beyond what is in this statement, because the statement represents a very significant level of agreement among all of us. It clearly references the dual-track policy, and it clearly references consequences. So I think that we will now await the results of the October 1st meeting and take stock at that time.
QUESTION: How exactly do you intend to engage directly with the Burmese authorities?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, again, we will be offering more specifics about that. But I wanted to preview this policy for our partners in the Friends of Burma group, and also to signal that the United States will be moving in a direction of both engagement and continued sanctions, to be sure that the Burmese leaders – some of whom, as you know, are in our country or about to come to our country – understand where we are in our policy review process.
QUESTION: Secretary Clinton, what specifically do you need to see from Iran after this talk for them to avoid consequences? When you say you want a clear indication of their intentions, what do you need to see?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, I will speak for myself and for our Administration. As we have said consistently, we want to see a serious effort by Iran to discuss the nuclear issue, which we are putting on the table, as we have made clear in this statement. And we are also looking for Iran to recognize that they are at a turning point. They have a choice to make. We have consistently said that Iran is entitled to peaceful nuclear power. They are not entitled to a nuclear weapons program. They do have rights, which we are willing to respect and recognize. But they also have responsibilities.
And as we set forth in this agreement, the serious concerns of the international community have been set out in five separate Security Council resolutions. So it is time for Iran to engage with the international community – this process is set up to do that – and for them to accept the opinion of the international community as referenced in this statement that they need to make clear their nuclear program, invite the IAEA in to see everything, and work toward peaceful nuclear energy that can be verified and completely accepted by the international community. Thank you.
Ban calls for international action to help ensure credible elections
23 September 2009 – Myanmar’s friends and neighbours must “do more in the best interests of Myanmar and its people” by persuading the Government to hold credible elections next year, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.
“We will work hard for democracy, national reconciliation and human rights in Myanmar,” Mr. Ban said as he convened a meeting of the Group of Friends on Myanmar, comprising 14 countries and one regional bloc.
“The year 2010 will be a critical year for Myanmar. The first planned election in 20 years must be held in an inclusive and credible manner to advance prospects for stability, democracy and national development,” he added in a statement read to the media by his Special Adviser, Ibrahim Gambari.
Mr. Ban cited three important aspects for action by the Friends. First, they should urge Myanmar to work with the UN to ensure an inclusive process of dialogue and create the necessary conditions for credible elections.
Second, they should uphold the UN role with regard to Myanmar’s immediate and long-term challenges since the Organization has invaluable experience in fostering national reconciliation, promoting respect for human rights, supporting sustainable development and helping countries make the transition to democracy.
Finally, they should signal the international community’s willingness to help the people of Myanmar address the political, humanitarian and development challenges they face.
As he did last week, Mr. Ban called the recent release of some political prisoners a step in the right direction, but one that did not go far enough. All political prisoners must be released, including democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, he said.
The Group of Friends, founded in December 2007, represents a balanced range of views on Myanmar and was established to hold informal discussions and develop shared approaches to support UN efforts. Its members are Australia, China, the European Union, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Norway, Russia, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States and Viet Nam.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
General Assembly
23 September 2009
Report to the United Nations - "Now Is Our Time"
Mr. President,
Distinguished Heads of State and Government,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Mr. President, let me express my heartfelt congratulations on your assumption of the presidency. I wish you every success and assure you of my full support.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We gather each and every September in a solemn rite. We come to reaffirm our founding Charter — our faith in fundamental principles of peace, justice, human rights and equal opportunity for all. We assess the state of the world, engage on the key issues of the day, lay out our vision for the way ahead.
This year the opening of the General Debate of the 64th session of the General Assembly asks us to rise to an exceptional moment. Amid many crises -- food, energy, recession and pandemic flu, hitting all at once -- the world looks to us for answers.
If ever there were a time to act in a spirit of renewed multilateralism -- a moment to create a United Nations of genuine collective action -- it is now.
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Now is our time. A time to put the “united” back into the United Nations. United in purpose. United in action.
First — let us make this a year that we, united nations, rise to the greatest challenge we face as a human family: the threat of catastrophic climate change. Yesterday, 100 heads of state and government set out the next steps toward Copenhagen . They recognized the need for an agreement all nations can embrace, in line with their capabilities -- consistent with what science requires -- grounded in “green jobs” and “green growth,” the lifeline of the 21 st century. Our road to Copenhagen requires us to bridge our differences. I firmly believe we can.
Second — let this be the year that nations united to free our world of nuclear weapons. For too long, this great cause has lain dormant. That is why, last October, I proposed a 5-point plan for putting disarmament back on the global agenda. And now, the international climate is changing. The Russian Federation and the United States have pledged to cut their nuclear arsenals. This coming May, at the United Nations Review Conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, we have an opportunity to push for real progress.
Tomorrow's historic Security Council summit — chaired by the President of the United States, with us for the first time — offers a fresh start. With action now, we can get the ratifications to bring the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty into force. Together, let us make this the year we agreed to banish the bomb.
Third — in our fight against world poverty, let this be the year we focus on those left behind. Some speak of “green shoots of recovery,” but we see red flags of warning. Our recent report, “Voices of the Vulnerable,” highlights a new crisis. The near-poor are becoming the new poor. An estimated 100 million people could fall below the poverty line this year. Markets may be bouncing back, but incomes and jobs are not.
People are angry. They believe the global economy is stacked against them. That is why we have put forward a Global Jobs Pact for balanced and sustainable growth. That is why we are creating a new Global Impact Vulnerability Alert System, giving us real-time data and analysis on the socio-economic picture around the world. We need to know who is being hurt, and where, so we can best respond.
That is also why, next year at this time, we will convene a special summit on the Millennium Development Goals. With only five years to go, we must mount a final push toward 2015. Rightly, we put women and children at the fore. UNICEF reports a 28 percent decline in child mortality over the past two decades. We can hope for similar progress on maternal health and mortality.
The prevention of sexual violence against women must be a top priority. Let us agree: these acts are an abomination. Leaders of every nation are personally accountable when such crimes are committed within their borders. When women die in childbirth, when they are raped as a weapon of war and have nowhere to turn, we of the United Nations cannot look the other way. And that is why, just recently, you agreed to create a single agency to address women's issues. We have never been more empowered to empower women.
Excellencies,
This Assembly also reaffirmed the responsibility to protect. In our modern era, no nation, large or small, can violate the human rights of its citizens with impunity. Where conflicts arise, justice and accountability should follow.
That is why the work of the International Criminal Court is so vital. We look to the review conference in Kampala , next May, as an opportunity to strengthen its mandate.
We can achieve none of our noble goals without peace, security and justice. In Darfur , that means consolidating recent progress and delivering on our mandate. We will be 90 percent deployed by year's end. Yet we still lack critical assets, particularly transport and helicopters. Meanwhile, we must continue to work, urgently, for the broader stability of Sudan and the region and shore up the comprehensive peace with South Sudan .
Somalia continues to demand attention whether to support African peacekeepers and the government or international anti-piracy efforts.
We will continue to press for resettlement, reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka . We welcome the government's commitment to allow all displaced persons to return to their homes by the end of January — as reaffirmed last week to my envoy.
We will work hard for freedom and democracy in Myanmar . The release of some political prisoners last week falls short of what is needed. We call on Myanmar 's friends and neighbors to do more, much more, in the best interests of Myanmar and its people. If next year's elections are to be accepted as credible and inclusive, all political prisoners must be released -- including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
We worked to stop the bloodshed in Gaza . Yet people continue to suffer. Issues of justice and accountability need to be addressed. We must revive negotiations toward a two-state solution and a comprehensive peace in the Middle East . We support President Obama's efforts for a resumption of peace talks and will work with the Quartet to that end.
In Afghanistan , we face a difficult environment. Recent elections revealed serious defects. Yet we should not forget the progress made -- progress we can build on. We are committed to seeing the Afghans through their long night. We will stay with them. We pledge to stand, as well, with the people of Pakistan .
We have made significant progress in Timor Leste, Haiti , Sierra Leone and Nepal . We see quiet progress in Iraq -- and fresh opportunities in Cyprus . Now is the time to take stock and move forward.
Excellencies, Distinguished Heads of State and Government, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me close by inviting you to look around you. By the end of this General Assembly, our Secretariat building will be empty. Our staff will have dispersed across the city. Our United Nations will be completely renovated. Our common ambition is to make this outward renovation the symbol of our inward renewal .
That is why we have placed such emphasis on building a stronger United Nations for a better world. We have made progress in Delivering as One UN. We have made strides in getting “peace-building” right, so that societies emerging from war do not slide back into conflict. We have sharpened our tools of mediation and diplomacy so that we can stop crises from escalating into broader and more costly tragedies. We created the Department of Field Support, and we are developing the “New Horizons” strategy to make peacekeeping more agile and effective.
In this, we need the strong support of Member States, just as we do to secure the safety of our brave staff serving in dangerous places, too many of whom have lost their lives in the causes we all serve.
Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Heads of State and Government, Ladies and Gentlemen,
This year, I have traveled from the ice rim of the Arctic to the steppes of Mongolia . I have seen, first-hand, the effects of climate change on our planet and its people.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo , I met an 18-year-old girl raped by soldiers. Her hope for a new life is the United Nations.
At summits from Trinidad and Tobago , London to L'Aquila , I have spoken out on one point above all others.
We of the United Nations are the voice of the voiceless, the defenders of the defenseless.
If we are to offer genuine hope to the hopeless, if we are to truly turn the corner to economic recovery, then we must do so for all nations and for all people. So much is possible if we work together. Together, we are here to take risks, to assume the burden of responsibility, to rise to an exceptional moment, to make history. This year, of all years, asks no less.
Because we are the United Nations. We are the best hope for humankind. And now is our time.
Thank you very much for your leadership and commitment. Thank you.
END THE OPPRESSIONS! SHOW YOUR SOLIDARITY!
Subject: Reminder: Protest at the UN Headquarters for 2nd Anniversary of Saffron Revolution
END THE OPPRESSIONS! SHOW YOUR SOLIDARITY!
Monks and Democratic Forces for Burma will be holding a 2nd Anniversary remembrance of the 2007 Saffron Revolution/protest in front of the UN Headquarters.
Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Time: 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: UN Headquarters - Dag Hammarskjold Plaza
(E 47th Street, between 1st Ave and 2nd Ave)
Contacts: U Pyinnya Zawta 415-518-7663, Nay Tin Myint 510-491-5157 Email: uscb.ny@gmail
Organized and sponsored by Monks and Democratic Forces for Burma along with Iran and Tibet freedom movements.
In September 2007, tens of thousands of monks and citizens demonstrated across Burma (Myanmar). The peaceful protests, dubbed as “Saffron Revolution” after the color of robes worn by Buddhist monks who played a leading role, were Burma’s largest anti-regime movement in two decades.
Burma’s brutal military regime crushed peaceful protesters with overwhelming forces. They were beaten badly, some shot dead and thousands were detained. Despite over 2,000 political prisoners still held in inhumane conditions throughout Burma’s notorious prisons - arbitrary arrests, detentions, and disappearances continue as we stand here today, many Burmese remained committed to march toward freedom and democracy.
RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=259325815143&ref=mf
UPDATE: Emotive and inspirational offering of Butoh performances by Vangeline Theater group http://www.facebook.com/l/d3415; to commemorate the Saffron anniversary will follow the rally.
We are looking for volunteers for the protest. If you are interested, please call 917-512-8768.
[PRESS RELEASE: Protest for 2nd Anniversary of the Saffron Revolution at the UN Headquarters http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=159280758271&ref=mf]
END THE OPPRESSIONS! SHOW YOUR SOLIDARITY!
Monks and Democratic Forces for Burma will be holding a 2nd Anniversary remembrance of the 2007 Saffron Revolution/protest in front of the UN Headquarters.
Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Time: 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: UN Headquarters - Dag Hammarskjold Plaza
(E 47th Street, between 1st Ave and 2nd Ave)
Contacts: U Pyinnya Zawta 415-518-7663, Nay Tin Myint 510-491-5157 Email: uscb.ny@gmail
Organized and sponsored by Monks and Democratic Forces for Burma along with Iran and Tibet freedom movements.
In September 2007, tens of thousands of monks and citizens demonstrated across Burma (Myanmar). The peaceful protests, dubbed as “Saffron Revolution” after the color of robes worn by Buddhist monks who played a leading role, were Burma’s largest anti-regime movement in two decades.
Burma’s brutal military regime crushed peaceful protesters with overwhelming forces. They were beaten badly, some shot dead and thousands were detained. Despite over 2,000 political prisoners still held in inhumane conditions throughout Burma’s notorious prisons - arbitrary arrests, detentions, and disappearances continue as we stand here today, many Burmese remained committed to march toward freedom and democracy.
RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=259325815143&ref=mf
UPDATE: Emotive and inspirational offering of Butoh performances by Vangeline Theater group http://www.facebook.com/l/d3415;
We are looking for volunteers for the protest. If you are interested, please call 917-512-8768.
[PRESS RELEASE: Protest for 2nd Anniversary of the Saffron Revolution at the UN Headquarters http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=159280758271&ref=mf]
Ban calls for international action to help ensure credible elections
23 September 2009 – Myanmar’s friends and neighbours must “do more in the best interests of Myanmar and its people” by persuading the Government to hold credible elections next year, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.
“We will work hard for democracy, national reconciliation and human rights in Myanmar,” Mr. Ban said as he convened a meeting of the Group of Friends on Myanmar, comprising 14 countries and one regional bloc.
“The year 2010 will be a critical year for Myanmar. The first planned election in 20 years must be held in an inclusive and credible manner to advance prospects for stability, democracy and national development,” he added in a statement read to the media by his Special Adviser, Ibrahim Gambari.
Mr. Ban cited three important aspects for action by the Friends. First, they should urge Myanmar to work with the UN to ensure an inclusive process of dialogue and create the necessary conditions for credible elections.
Second, they should uphold the UN role with regard to Myanmar’s immediate and long-term challenges since the Organization has invaluable experience in fostering national reconciliation, promoting respect for human rights, supporting sustainable development and helping countries make the transition to democracy.
Finally, they should signal the international community’s willingness to help the people of Myanmar address the political, humanitarian and development challenges they face.
As he did last week, Mr. Ban called the recent release of some political prisoners a step in the right direction, but one that did not go far enough. All political prisoners must be released, including democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, he said.
The Group of Friends, founded in December 2007, represents a balanced range of views on Myanmar and was established to hold informal discussions and develop shared approaches to support UN efforts. Its members are Australia, China, the European Union, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Norway, Russia, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States and Viet Nam.
“We will work hard for democracy, national reconciliation and human rights in Myanmar,” Mr. Ban said as he convened a meeting of the Group of Friends on Myanmar, comprising 14 countries and one regional bloc.
“The year 2010 will be a critical year for Myanmar. The first planned election in 20 years must be held in an inclusive and credible manner to advance prospects for stability, democracy and national development,” he added in a statement read to the media by his Special Adviser, Ibrahim Gambari.
Mr. Ban cited three important aspects for action by the Friends. First, they should urge Myanmar to work with the UN to ensure an inclusive process of dialogue and create the necessary conditions for credible elections.
Second, they should uphold the UN role with regard to Myanmar’s immediate and long-term challenges since the Organization has invaluable experience in fostering national reconciliation, promoting respect for human rights, supporting sustainable development and helping countries make the transition to democracy.
Finally, they should signal the international community’s willingness to help the people of Myanmar address the political, humanitarian and development challenges they face.
As he did last week, Mr. Ban called the recent release of some political prisoners a step in the right direction, but one that did not go far enough. All political prisoners must be released, including democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, he said.
The Group of Friends, founded in December 2007, represents a balanced range of views on Myanmar and was established to hold informal discussions and develop shared approaches to support UN efforts. Its members are Australia, China, the European Union, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Norway, Russia, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States and Viet Nam.
ရခိုင္ေက်ာင္းသား လူငယ္ ၂၀ နီးပါး စစ္ေၾကာေရး စခန္းသို႕ ေရာက္ရွိ
သတင္း - နိရဥၥရာ
ဗုဒၶဟူးေန႔၊ စက္တင္ဘာလ 23 ရက္ 2009 ခုႏွစ္
အထူးစံုစမ္းေရး ရဲအဖြဲ႕ အက္စ္ပီတူးထံ ဖမ္းဆီးခံရသူ ရခိုင္ေက်ာင္းသားႏွင့္ လူငယ္ အေရအတြက္မွာ ၂၀ နီးပါးခန္႕ ရွိသြားျပီ ျဖစ္ျပီး သူတို႕ကို ယခုအခါ စစ္ေၾကာေရး စခန္းမ်ားတြင္ စစ္ေဆး ေမးျမန္းေနသည္ဟု သိရသည္။
ယမန္ေန႕ (တနလၤာေန႕)က ဘူးသီးေတာင္ျမိဳ႕နယ္ ေညာင္ေခ်ာင္းေက်းရြာမွ ဦးေမာင္သာျဖဴႏွင့္ ဇနီး ေဒၚႏွင္းဦးစိန္တို႕၏သား ေမာင္နိုင္စိုး ၂၁ ႏွစ္ကို ရန္ကုန္ အက္စ္ပီတူးမွ ေဒသခံ ရဲအဖြဲ႕၀င္မ်ား၏ အကူုအညီျဖင့္ ဖမ္းဆီးသြားခဲ့သည္။
သူ၏ေဆြမ်ိဳးေတာ္သူ တဦးက "သူ႕ကို ေအေအအက္စ္၀ိုင္စီႏွင့္ ဆက္သြယ္မူရွိတယ္ဆိုျပီး ရန္ကုန္က ဒုရဲအုပ္ တဦး ကိုယ္တိုင္လာေရာက္ျပီး မေန႕က ေန႕လည္ပိုင္းမွာ ေညာင္ေခ်ာင္းကေန ဘူးသီးေတာင္ကို ဖမ္းဆီး ေခၚေဆာင္သြားပါတယ္။ အခု ဘူးသီးေတာင္ အခ်ဳပ္ခန္းမွာ ခ်ဳပ္ထားျပီး မနက္ျဖန္မွာ စစ္ေတြကဆင့္ ရန္ကုန္ကို ေခၚသြားမွာ ျဖစ္တယ္လို႕ သိရပါတယ္" ဟု ေျပာသည္။
အလားတူ စက္တဘၤာလ ၁၉ ရက္ေန႕က ပု႑ားကၽြန္းျမိဳ႕က ကိုေဇာ္မိုးေအာင္နဲ႕ ေနာက္ထပ္ ေက်ာင္းသား တဦးကို စစ္ေတြ အက္စ္ပီတူးက ဖမ္းဆီးျပီး စစ္ေတြကို ေခၚယူသြားခဲ့သည္ဟု သူတို႕၏ ေဆြမ်ိဳးေတာ္သူ တဦးက ေျပာသည္။
စက္တဘၤာလ ၁၅ ရက္ေန႕ကလည္း ေျမာက္ဦးမွ ေက်ာင္းသား ၂ ဦး ဖမ္းဆီးခံခဲ့ရျပီး ယခုအခါ သူတို႕ကို ရန္ကုန္သုိ႕ ေခၚယူသြားခဲ့သည္။
စက္တဘၤာလ ၁၃ ရက္ေန႕က စစ္ေတြမွ လူငယ္ ၄ ဦးဖမ္းဆီးခံရျပီး ဖမ္းဆီးခံရသူမ်ားမွာ ကိုတူတူေခ်၊ ကုိကုလားေခ်၊ ကိုခိုင္မိုးထြန္းႏွင့္ ကိုေမာင္သူ တို႕ ျဖစ္ၾကသည္။ သူတို႕ကို ယခုအခါ စစ္ေတြ အက္စ္ပီတူးက ဆက္လက္ စစ္ေဆးေနျပီး သူတို႕ႏွင့္ ဆက္ႏြယ္ ပတ္သက္သူမ်ားကို လိုက္လံ ေဖၚထုတ္ေနသည္ဟု သိရသည္။
ကိုတူတူေခ်မွာ ရခိုင္ေတးသံရွင္ တဦးျဖစ္ျပီး သူဖခင္မွာ နာမည္ၾကီး စီးပြားေရး သမား တဦးျဖစ္သူ ကီစ္ ေက်ာ္သိန္း ျဖစ္သည္။ သူ႕တြင္ စစ္ေတြ၌ KISS အမည္ျဖင့္ အိန္တာနက္ကေဖး တခုရွိျပီး အဆိုပါ အိန္တာနက္ ကေဖးကို သူ႕အား ဖမ္းဆီးျပီး နာရီိပိုင္းအတြင္းတြင္ ရဲက ၀င္ေရာက္ စစ္ေဆးခဲ့ျပီး အေရးၾကီးေသာ စာရြက္စာတန္းမ်ားႏွင့္ ဖိုင္တြဲမ်ားကို ယူေဆာင္သြားခဲ့သည္။
သူတို႕အား ဖမ္းဆီးမူမွာ ရန္ကုန္ျမိဳ႕ လွည္းတန္းတြင္ ယခုလ ၇ ရက္ေန႕က ဖမ္းဆီးခံရသူ ရခိုင္လူငယ္ ၇ ဦးႏွင့္ ဆက္စပ္ေနသည္။ ရန္ကုန္တြင္ ဖမ္းဆီးခံခဲ့ရသူ ရခိုင္ လူငယ္ ၇ ဦးမွာ ကိုထြန္းလင္း၊ ကိုေက်ာ္ေဇာဦး၊ ကုိေဇာ္ထြန္းဦး၊ ကိုေက်ာ္၀င္း၊ ကိုခင္ေမာင္ေဌး၊ ကိုေက်ာ္ဆန္းလူိင္ႏွင့္ ေနာက္ တဦးတို႕ ျဖစ္သည္။
ျမ၀တီျမိဳ႕တြင္ ရခိုင္လူငယ္ ၄ ဦးဖမ္းဆီးခံခဲ့ရေၾကာင္း သတင္းရရွိေသာ္လည္း အတည္ျပဳနိုင္ျခင္း မရွိေသးပါ။
စစ္ေတြမွ လာေသာ သတင္းမ်ားအရ အဆိုပါ လူငယ္မ်ားမွာ ထိုင္းျမန္မာ နယ္စပ္တြင္ အလုပ္ လုပ္ကိုင္ေနေသာ ရခိုင္ လူငယ္ တဦး နအဖထံ လက္နက္ခ်သြားျပီးေနာက္ ေဖၚေကာင္ လုပ္လိုက္ရာမွ ဖမ္းဆီးျခင္း ခံၾကရသူမ်ား ျဖစ္သည္ဟု သိရသည္။
ေနာက္ထပ္လည္း ဖမ္းဆီးမူမ်ား ရွိလာနိုင္သျဖင့္ ရခိုင္ လူငယ္အမ်ားအျပားမွာ ထြက္ေျပး တိမ္းေရွာင္ေနၾကသည္ဟု သိရသည္။ ယခုကဲ့သို႕ ရခိုင္ လူငယ္မ်ားကို ဖမ္းဆီးေနျခင္းမွာ ထိုင္း-ျမန္မာ နယ္စပ္ အေျခစုိက္ ေအေအအက္စ္၀ုိင္စီေခၚ ရခိုင္ျပည္လံုးဆိုင္ရာ ေက်ာင္းသားႏွင့္ လူငယ္မ်ား ကြန္ကရက္ႏွင့္ ဆက္စပ္မူ ရွိသည့္ စြပ္စြဲခ်က္ျဖင့္ ဖမ္းဆီးေနျခင္း ျဖစ္သည္ဟု သိရသည္။
သူတို႕အား စစ္ေၾကာေရး စခန္းမ်ားတြင္ ျပင္းျပင္း ထန္ထန္ ညွဥ္းပမ္းႏွိပ္စက္မူမ်ား ရွိေနသျဖင့္ မိသားစု၀င္မ်ားက အထူးစုိးရိမ္ေနၾကသည္ဟု သိရသည္။
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