UN RIGHTS EXPERT CONCLUDES VISIT TO MYANMAR

19 February 2002




Prof. Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation in Myanmar, today completed his second fact-finding mission to the country.

During the visit, which started on 10 February, the Special Rapporteur met with the Secretary of the State Peace Development Council; the Foreign Minister and his Deputy; the Home Minister; the Attorney-General and Chairman of the Bar Council; the Minister of Labour; the Director-General of the Prisons Department; the Police Director-General; members of the Human Rights Committee and the National Convention Convening Commission. He also held talks with representatives of legal parties and leaders of ethnic groups that have entered into a ceasefire with the Government. Mr. Pinheiro visited the Insein Central Prison and a prison hospital in Yangon, where he interviewed confidentially a dozen detainees. He also had meetings with the General Secretary and members of the Central Executive Committee of the National League for Democracy, representatives of ethnic parties, the UN country team, the diplomatic community, and international civil society organizations.

The Special Rapporteur also travelled to Myitkyina (Kachin State), where he was received by local authorities and had meetings at the State court, the lawyers’ association, and the police office. He also met with representatives of local civil society organizations, religious and community leaders and UN project staff. He visited police lock-up No. 1 and Myitkyina prison, where he interviewed detainees. Finally, he visited the offices of two groups that have agreed to the ceasefire and a village near Myitkyina.

Before arriving in Myanmar Mr. Pinheiro went to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for consultations with the Special Envoy of the Secretary General to Myanmar, Razali Ismail.


The Special Rapporteur said before leaving Yangon on 19 February that he had received full cooperation from the Myanmar Government.




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