UN envoy to pressure Myanmar on Asia tour

UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari heads this weekend to Asia to rally support for an international campaign for democracy in Myanmar, but the success of his mission is far from guaranteed.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon wants Gambari to prepare the ground for a return visit to Yangon amid international concern over repression in the isolated Southeast Asian nation.

Gambari, a seasoned UN troubleshooter, is first to go to Thailand and then head to Malaysia, Indonesia, India, China and Japan, before hoping to return to Myanmar in his two-week tour.

The UN Security Council on Thursday condemned the ruling junta for its crackdown against pro-democracy protests which left 13 people dead, and urged the regime to open talks with detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

It deplored the repression and called for the release of political prisoners, amid concern for nearly 1,000 demonstrators still being held.

On Friday, the White House urged Gambari to travel directly to Myanmar for new talks instead of first visiting other Southeast Asian nations.

“Given the continuing abuses of the junta on Burma, we urge UN Special Advisor Gambari to return to Burma as soon as possible,” said White House spokesman Tony Fratto, using Myanmar’s former name.

The White House said on this new trip, Gambari should again “meet with government officials, as well as Aung San Suu Kyi, so that Burma can move toward a peaceful transition to democracy.” But Ban politely rebuffed the White House request.

“I have discussed this matter and I have instructed him to first visit the region to discuss with the leaders to create the necessary political atmosphere so that he’ll be able to visit Myanmar sooner than mid-November,” the UN secretary general told reporters.

Thailand’s army-installed prime minister Surayud Chulanont however said Saturday he doubted whether the United Nations alone would succeed in pushing the hardline regime to ease its crackdown on dissidents.

He said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the UN and powerful countries like China and India should work together for change in Myanmar.

Separately, the European Union already looks set to beef up its sanctions against Myanmar next week by introducing an embargo on timber, gems and metals, according to a draft text agreed Friday.

On October 2, Gambari met Myanmar’s leader General Than Shwe in the nation’s remote capital after waiting for days to see the reclusive general. On his return, he warned the turmoil indicated deep discontent across the country and could have serious repercussions for the regime.

But the movement took off nationwide when Buddhist monks joined in, drawing up to 100,000 onto the streets of Yangon for successive days before the regime cracked down.

On Friday, Myanmar’s military junta said it “regrets” the UN Security Council statement rebuking its violent repression.

In its first reaction to the UN statement, whose signatories included close ally China, the government vowed to cooperate with the world body and also pledged to press ahead with its own “road map” to democratic reform.

But it made no acknowledgement of the UN call for the release of political prisoners nor for it to hold dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi.

Yangon, Sunday, AFP