The UN General Assembly in session in New York. (Photo: AFP)Thursday, December 25, 2008
By SAW YAN NAING
Irrawady
The UN General Assembly has adopted by a vote of nearly four to one a resolution calling on Burma to free all political prisoners, including detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and criticizing the human rights record of the Burmese regime.
The resolution, which addressed the issue of human rights in Burma, was carried on Wednesday by 80 votes to 25, with 45 abstentions.
It urged the Burmese government to halt arrests of political activists and expressed concern about incidents of torture and sexual abuse and the crackdown on peaceful protesters in September 2007.
The resolution also voiced concern over the process of the junta’s so-called “seven-step roadmap” toward democracy, including the planned general election, noting the failure of the regime to include other political parties, members of Burma’s main opposition party, the National League for Democracy, and representatives of ethnic political organizations.
An unnamed Burmese UN representative later rejected the resolution and accused the UN Assembly of "blatant interference" in his country’s internal political affairs. He said that although Burma would not feel bound by the resolution it would nevertheless continue to cooperate with the UN and the Secretary-General’s good offices.
The Burmese representative maintained that his country had made major political strides and was now in the process of democratization by carrying out the so-called seven-step roadmap.
Four of Burma’s Asean partners—Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand—abstained in Wednesday’s vote, while Cambodia was not present. Brunei Darussalam, Laos, Malaysia and Vietnam joined China, India and Russia, together with countries ranging from Algeria to Zimbabwe, in voting against the resolution.
Burma’s top diplomat at the UN, Kyaw Tint Swe, said in a recent confidential report to his country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs that international pressure on Burma would increase within the UN Security Council, particularly from Western members. The envoy said Western influence within the Security Council would increase when Japan and Uganda replace Indonesia and South Africa in January.
Japan voted in favor of the resolution on Wednesday, while Uganda was not present for the vote.
In late November, Burmese junta chief Snr-Gen Than Shwe said in the state-run newspaper The New Light of Myanmar that the seven-step roadmap is the only way to smooth the transition toward democratic reform in Burma.
The fifth stage of the seven-step roadmap will be the general election, scheduled for 2010.
According to human rights groups, Burma has more than 2,100 political prisoners. About 215 political activists were sentenced last month to prison terms of up to 68 years.
The resolution, which addressed the issue of human rights in Burma, was carried on Wednesday by 80 votes to 25, with 45 abstentions.
It urged the Burmese government to halt arrests of political activists and expressed concern about incidents of torture and sexual abuse and the crackdown on peaceful protesters in September 2007.
The resolution also voiced concern over the process of the junta’s so-called “seven-step roadmap” toward democracy, including the planned general election, noting the failure of the regime to include other political parties, members of Burma’s main opposition party, the National League for Democracy, and representatives of ethnic political organizations.
An unnamed Burmese UN representative later rejected the resolution and accused the UN Assembly of "blatant interference" in his country’s internal political affairs. He said that although Burma would not feel bound by the resolution it would nevertheless continue to cooperate with the UN and the Secretary-General’s good offices.
The Burmese representative maintained that his country had made major political strides and was now in the process of democratization by carrying out the so-called seven-step roadmap.
Four of Burma’s Asean partners—Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand—abstained in Wednesday’s vote, while Cambodia was not present. Brunei Darussalam, Laos, Malaysia and Vietnam joined China, India and Russia, together with countries ranging from Algeria to Zimbabwe, in voting against the resolution.
Burma’s top diplomat at the UN, Kyaw Tint Swe, said in a recent confidential report to his country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs that international pressure on Burma would increase within the UN Security Council, particularly from Western members. The envoy said Western influence within the Security Council would increase when Japan and Uganda replace Indonesia and South Africa in January.
Japan voted in favor of the resolution on Wednesday, while Uganda was not present for the vote.
In late November, Burmese junta chief Snr-Gen Than Shwe said in the state-run newspaper The New Light of Myanmar that the seven-step roadmap is the only way to smooth the transition toward democratic reform in Burma.
The fifth stage of the seven-step roadmap will be the general election, scheduled for 2010.
According to human rights groups, Burma has more than 2,100 political prisoners. About 215 political activists were sentenced last month to prison terms of up to 68 years.
8 comments:
How about ah Sen Scamboida cheating on UN everyday?
May Buddha bless all people in this world.
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=1aMSyiBDebI
...I do not know if a freely elected system of governmment is good for Burma (Myanma). Before Burma chooses the democratic path, it should look at the chaos that is happening in Thailand a freely elected democratic country. In Thailand the parties that lost election refused to accept the election outcome. Now through strong arm manipulation, the power was given by the Thai king and the military to the Democrat parti eventhough this parti never won the majority of the seats in the parliament.
Democracy doesn't work in undeveloped countries. There isn't a drop proof anywhere on the planet to show that it works.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Cambodian-Thailand Border Dispute has become exacerbated because of Chheang Vun
Who is Chheang Vun? This guy has weiredly appeared in his public affairs since he was a Cambodian representative at the UNs.
Recently, this guy proclaimed in the public and in front of the news agents that Cambodia has already allied with Vietnam in order to condemn the ongoing border land encroachment of Thailand. In the news, Vun also elaborated that if Thailand still occupies Cambodia border land, Cambodia will take this issue to the UNs as well as the international world.
What is happening to Cambodia now regarding its foreign policy in dealing border dispute with Thailand?
Primarily, we observed that CPP has tremendously exploited the border dispute of Cambodia-Thailand to gain its popularity in recent national election. CPP had also reprimanded Thailand that they will take this case to the UNs, but it has never obligated that statment.
Now it is occuring again that by allying with Vientam, CPP repeatedly reprimanded Thailand to raise the issue to the international communities. Vietnam might have gain huge popularity among some Cambodian people because they might understand that this country is so kind for them regarding dispute with Thailand. Is this CPP's nationalism policy? Or this is just CPP who is trying to legitimize Vietnamese domination in Cambodia?
As a young Cambodias, and I want to tell every Cambodian that, border dispute has become a useful tool for CPP and Vietnam to utilize for their benefits. They have used the international laws as their pretext, but why they have never implemented it.
Or because it is CPP who are so afraid of international laws particularly the stipulations of Paris Peace Agreement? CPP might not so afraid of international laws and Paris Peace Agreement, but Vietnam is so afraid of it because of its numerious illegal agreements with CPP, and the top incument CPP leaders have numeriously signed with Vietnam.
We are Cambodians are just their political tools particularly CPP's tool who is working for Hanoi. And we loss hope for the CPP to deal with Thailand by using international laws and Paris Peace Agreement.
Predictably, through Chheang Vun's public statement, Cambodia can deal with Thailand to settle down this border dispute unless Cambodia, Lao and Vietnam becomes the single strongest union to lobby Asian...
So this is the fate of Cambodia under CPP's leadership...
KY
Shut the fuck up, Ah Khmer-Yuon Scam Rainxy's arse kisser (8:11)! No one care about your fairy tale.
9:23 AM,
it's funny how you love to tell everyone to shut up. You know what? Why don't you go take your little ass and create your own news blog and you can comment all as much as you want without others with different opinions and perhaps better set of mind and thinking to write on it. You can well be on your way to write your own articles, post your own comments and read your own articles and comments all in one and smile to yourself. It'll be all yours! Only for you, because you are so damn awesome and god-like! Hahaha...go do that. Take my advice and consider it a Xmas present from me to you.
Don't worry Birma, ASEAN is behind you 100%. Fuck the corrupted UN!
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