Myanmar elections amnesty …or sham

AFP/ 14 July 2009

United Nations- Myanmar’s UN envoy said on Monday his government ‘intends to implement all appropriate recommendations that the secretary general had proposed.’

Ambassador U Than Swe specifically said the military regime was preparing an amnesty for political prisoners on humanitarian grounds so they can contest next year’s general elections.

‘At the request of the (UN) Secretary General (Ban Ki Moon), the Myanmar government is processing to grant amnesty to prisoners on humanitarian grounds and with a view to enabling them to participate in the 2010 general elections,’ he told the Council.

‘The challenges faced by Myanmar are complex and multifaceted,’ the ambassador however noted. ‘Undue pressure from the outside without fully comprehending the challenges faced by Myanmar will not be conducive to the country’s home-grown political process.’

And in an apparent bid to blunt any push by Western nations for UN sanctions against his regime, he noted: ‘Myanmar is not a threat to international peace and security, so no Security Council is warranted.’

Warning that ‘the world is watching,’ UN chief Ban Ki Moon pressed Myanmar’s military rulers on Monday to deliver on their pledge to ensure ‘inclusive, free and fair’ elections next year.

‘The (Myanmar) government needs to deliver on the promise to make the 2010 elections inclusive, free and fair and to take the necessary steps on my specific proposals in the very near future,’ he said as he briefed the UN Security Council on his visit to Myanmar early this month.

‘The choice for Myanmar’s leaders in the coming days and weeks will be between meeting that responsibility in the interest of all concerned, or failing their own people and each one of you,’ the UN secretary general said.

‘The world is now watching closely whether they will choose to act in the best interest of their country or ignore our concerns and expectations and the needs of their people,’ he added.