UN group welcomes Myanmar transformation, voices concerns

UN group welcomes Myanmar transformation, voices concerns
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Mizzima
The UN is concerned about the continued displacement of people by fighting, among other concerns. UN Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee, right, seen here on a recent visit to Zion Baptist IDP camp at Myitkyina Kachin State. Photo: UNIC Yangon
The UN is concerned about the continued displacement of people by fighting, among other concerns. UN Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee, right, seen here on a recent visit to Zion Baptist IDP camp at Myitkyina Kachin State. Photo: UNIC Yangon

Myanmar is under the spotlight of the UN in part due to the recent 12-day visit of UN Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee to the country.

The UN Secretary-General’s Partnership Group on Myanmar issued the following statement on July 4 about the situation in Myanmar:

The Partnership Group of the Secretary-General on Myanmar met at United Nations Headquarters in New York on 1 July 2016.  At the meeting, the Group welcomed the transformative change taking place in that country  with the accession to power after the November elections of the National League for Democracy under the leadership of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The meeting also acknowledged the contribution made by former President U Thein Sein, whose administration helped achieve this defining change.

The Group welcomed the plans drawn up by the new government to meet the high expectations of the people. They underlined the continuing need for dialogue and cooperation among the different political and economic stakeholders, as well as with the leaders of the military and civil society to consolidate the democratization process, civilianize the political structures as well as to bring about stability and inclusive growth in the country.

The Group welcomed current efforts at engaging signatories and non-signatories of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) and to launch the Twenty-First Century Panglong Conference. They hoped these efforts would be unifying, forward looking and inclusive. They highlighted continued support to the implementation of the NCA. Concerns were expressed at the continuing tensions in Shan and Kachin states and their impact on the peace process and the Group urged for unimpeded humanitarian access to the displaced civilian populations.

On Rakhine, the Group underlined the urgent need to end the socio-economic hardship impacting all communities and the continued discriminatory restrictions of the fundamental human rights especially of the Rohingyas, including on their freedom of movement. They called attention to the desperate conditions in the IDP camps affecting access to health care, education and livelihoods. Four years after the 2012 violence, the fact that this situation continued was unconscionable. While noting that the number of irregular migrants from Rakhine had recently decreased, the members nevertheless highlighted that failure to alleviate current conditions could have major regional implications. They noted the various steps initiated by the new government and its commitment to action including through the establishment of a ‘Working Committees on Implementation of Peace, Stability and Development of Rakhine State.’

The Group underlined the importance of effective action to promote the conditions of livelihood of all communities in the state, to build more durable links between the two communities and develop early warning systems of tackle potential outbreaks of violent confrontation between them at the local level. Members also reiterated previous calls for the early establishment of an in-country office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights with a full mandate.

In the light of the overall changes taking place in Myanmar and the achievement of many benchmarks, members discussed how to recalibrate the future engagement of the international community with Myanmar in a manner that would support continued reform while helping to proactively tackle the remaining challenges the country faces.

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