The proposed visit of United Nation’s Special Rapporteur on Myanmar (Burma), Yanghee Lee, to Arakan State on Wednesday was called off due to bad weather, said U Hla Thein, a spokesperson for the Arakan (Rakhine) State government.
He said: “She had planned to visit Arakan State during her visit to Burma but it was called off due to the bad weather conditions.”
Arakan State Prime Minster U Maung Muang Oo and some high ranking officials have gone to Yangon to meet Yanghee Lee.
The Arakan government spokesman said: “The present situation of Rakhine is very bad and the PM U Maung Muang Oo is not supposed to leave the state, bu he went to Yangon to meet Yanghee Lee as it is understood to be very important for the country.”
A few other Rakhine community leaders including U Tha Point and U Than Tun also accompanied the PM on his Yangon visit to discuss various issues with Yanghee Lee.
Yanghee Lee arrived in Myanmar on 3 August on her third official visit to the country and she is due to leave on 7 August. She is scheduled to meet a number of representatives from various authorities, national institutions, civil society groups and other stakeholders in Burma.
As the UN’s Special Rapporteur she is mandated by the Human Rights Council to assess the human rights situation in the country as well as the progress of electoral process in the run-up to the next general election scheduled for November this year.
Yanghee Lee said: “Myanmar is at an important juncture. I will continue to carry out the functions under my mandate in a balanced, impartial and transparent manner." It is understood that she will submit a report on her visit to Myanmar to the UN General Assembly which will be held in October 2015.
A press conference will be organized at the end of her Burma visit on August 7, though the venue and time are yet to be disclosed.
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
