- Title: THAILAND: UN's Ban rebukes Myanmar generals over Suu Kyi
- Date: 5th July 2009
- Summary: BANGKOK, THAILAND (JULY 4, 2009) (REUTERS) NEWS CONFERENCE AT BANGKOK AIRPORT ***FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON WALKING INTO NEWS CONFERENCE BAN KI-MOON AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON SAYING; "I asked to meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and am deeply disappointed that Senior General Than Shwe refused my request. Allowing a visit to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi would have been an important symbol of the government's willingness to embark in the meaningful engagement that will be essential if the elections in 2010 are to be seen as credible. I believe the government of Myanmar failed to take a unique opportunity to show its commitment to the new era of political openness. Nonetheless, my visit has enabled me to convey the concern of the international community very frankly and directly to Senior General Than Shwe and his government's leaders. My meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi, however, should not be seen as the only benchmark for success or failure of my visit, because I believe that there are many other important and fundamental issues which we will have to address to move Myanmar forward." U.N.'S SPECIAL ENVOY TO MYANMAR IBRAHIM GAMBARI SITTING WITH OTHER U.N. OFFICIALS (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON SAYING; "I told Senior General Than Shwe that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners should be released without delay and allowed to participate freely in the political process." BAN KI-MOON LEAVING
- Embargoed: 20th July 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Thailand
- Country: Thailand
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA7ZK1S26D07LW2VF5LUOS6KI4G
- Story Text: U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon publicly rebukes Myanmar's generals for denying him a visit to detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and says she should take part in politics before 2010 elections.
U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon publicly rebuked Myanmar's generals on Saturday (July 4) for denying him a visit to detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and said she should take part in politics before 2010 elections.
The U.N. Secretary-General expressed "deep disappointment" at the end of a two-day visit to the military-ruled state.
In a rare speech in Yangon to a crowd of about 500 diplomats, state officials, non-governmental organisations and opposition politicians, Ban sharply criticised Myanmar for its human rights record and its failure to free political prisoners, and repeated the criticism at a news conference on returning to Bangkok.
"Allowing a visit to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi would have been an important symbol of the government's willingness to embark in the meaningful engagement that will be essential if the elections in 2010 are to be seen as credible," Ban said.
There was no applause during Ban's speech but his rebuke of the generals in front of a local audience prompted murmurs throughout the crowd at Yangon's Drug Elimination Museum.
Criticism of the authorities is rare in Myanmar and dissent is harshly dealt with by the generals, with rights activists, politicians and even comedians among those given long jail terms.
Ban waited overnight in Myanmar's isolated new capital Naypyidaw only to have junta supremo Than Shwe shoot down his request, saying Suu Kyi was on trial and the country's rulers did not want to be seen to interfere with the judicial process.
The UN chief is expected to receive criticism for what he had said would be a "very tough mission", from which he left without any guarantees from the generals that Suu Kyi and the more than 2,000 political prisoners would be freed.
However, he said being denied a meeting with Suu Kyi did not mean the visit was a waste of time.
"I believe the government of Myanmar failed to take a unique opportunity to show its commitment to the new era of political openness," he told reporters in Bangkok.
"Nonetheless, my visit has enabled me to convey the concern of the international community very frankly and directly to Senior General Than Shwe and his government's leaders. My meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi, however, should not be seen as the only benchmark for success or failure of my visit, because I believe that there are many other important and fundamental issues which we will have to address to move Myanmar forward."
Ban added that he had told Than Shwe that "Suu Kyi and all political prisoners should be released without delay and allowed to participate freely in the political process."
Suu Kyi, who has spearheaded the campaign for democracy for two decades in the former Burma, is on trial for breaching terms of her house arrest by allowing an American intruder to stay at her home on May 4.
The trial was adjourned on Friday until July 10 because of a clerical error by the court, according to her lawyer.
Critics have dismissed the process as a show trial and an attempt by the generals to keep her out of multi-party elections to be held next year. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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