Print this Email this

Security Council must follow up Ibrahim Gambari’s visit

9 October 2007, 09:30AM

image
©AFP

Amnesty International welcomes the expressions of concern by the UN Secretary-General, the UN's Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari and by many members of the Security Council about the grave human rights situation in Myanmar.

"The Security Council must now follow up this crucial open debate with a strong statement expressing its deep concern about continuing human rights violations and calling on the Myanmar authorities to take immediate concrete action to protect human rights including steps just recommended by Mr Gambari," said Yvonne Terlingen, the Head of Amnesty International's Office at the UN.

"The Security Council must now press for drastic change in Myanmar's appalling human rights policies and keep the human rights situation under close and constant review as resolving the human rights crisis is key to addressing peace and security and advancing national reconciliation in Myanmar."

As the UN Special Envoy told the Security Council, concrete steps must include an end to night raids and arrests, releasing all those arrested during demonstrations, allowing medical access to the wounded, allowing access by the ICRC to all those detained and tracing the missing. He also called for withdrawal of military forces from the street and ensuring respect for human rights and the rule of law by law enforcement officials.

"Gambari's visit is of crucial importance. But it is only the beginning of a process that must involve close monitoring of progress on human rights through additional visits by the Special Envoy and regular review by the Security Council. The authorities must also facilitate an early visit from the UN's human rights expert, Mr Sergio Pinheiro, as the Human Right s Council recently called for," said Yvonne Terlingen.

"The Myanmar Representative told the Security Council that his country will cooperate with the UN. A key test will now be whether the government will release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other prisoners of conscience and whether it will allow Mr Pinheiro prompt and unhindered access to the country. An indicator of the Security Council's resolve will be whether it will keep the Myanmar situation under the closest review and whether it will invite Mr. Pinheiro to brief it to complement the briefing it has just received from Mr. Gambari."

The Security Council must also consider visiting the country for itself to engage in dialogue to improve justice and human rights.

"The Council must also ensure that those responsible for human rights violations are held accountable and that the Myanmar authorities deal with the country's long-standing human rights concerns, which have helped fuel the recent crisis," said Amnesty International.

For more information, please call the Amnesty International UN Office on +1212 867 8878.

Further information

Take action

Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.

Make an impact

You can make a difference right now. Your action will help to shine the light of hope into people's lives across the world.

You can make a difference right now. Your action will help shine the light of hope into people's lives across the world.

Check out what 4880 people are doing right now to support human rights.

Act now

Stay Informed

Sign up for email updates

Get Involved

Two Columbian boys smiling and holding their arms out with their thumbs up - a sign of hope

Amnesty International relies on your support to continue our vital work protecting human rights. Please help us keep governments accountable, bring the guilty to justice, and save lives.

Donate