OFFICE OF HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, EXPERT ON MYANMAR CONCERNED OVER RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN COUNTRY

2 June 2003




The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on the situation in Myanmar, Mr. Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, join their voices today to express concern over recent developments in Myanmar. Particularly worrying is that Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders of the National League for Democracy (NLD) have reportedly been detained and held in “protective custody”, while NLD headquarters in Yangon are said to have been padlocked and NLD offices around the country face closing.
These developments have taken place against a backdrop of continuing arrests and imprisonment of NLD members in recent months. These are most regrettable events as they effectively shut off the limited political freedom that Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi and her party had been allowed since her release in May 2002.
The Office of High Commissioner and the Special Rapporteur urge the Government to renew its commitment to political reform and human rights, starting with the immediate and unconditional release of Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners. The Government should lift all restrictions on the exercise of basic political rights and freedoms and initiate the reform of the system of administration of justice. The Office of the High Commissioner and the Special Rapporteur hope the Government will give serious consideration to these initiatives to improve the political climate and pave the way for a credible dialogue towards the stated objective of democratic transition.



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