UN envoy heads to Burma for latest democracy push
Thursday, 06 Mar 2008 12:19
Burma will vote on their draft constitution in May
In Focus
inthenews.co.uk talks to Edward Holroyd Pearce, a British businessman whose weekend spent helping out in earthquake-hit Sichuan nearly ended with his death. Full Story
UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari begins his third visit to Burma since last autumn's brutal crushing of pro-democracy protests today.
Dozens are believed to have died when the Burmese military junta deployed troops to end the rallies in the capital, Yangon, prompting criticism from the around the world.
Mr Gambari's initial efforts to promote reconciliation appeared to have been unsuccessful but on February 9th the Burmese government announced it would hold multi-party elections in 2010.
Unlike previous trips his current visit does not feature pre-arranged meetings with the junta or opposition figurehead Aung San Suu Kyi.
UN spokesperson Michele Montas said Mr Gambari "hopes to stay as long as necessary and to consult with a broad range of representatives of Myanmar society, including all the groups which he was not able to see during his last visit".
He has been meeting leaders in Beijing, Jakarta, Singapore and Tokyo in recent days in his push to promote democracy and reconciliation in Burma.
February's announcement outlined elections for 2010, after a referendum is held on a constitution, drafted by a government-appointed commission, in May this year.
Yesterday a report from Human Rights Watch criticised the constitution, which appears to bar Ms Suu Kyi from standing because she is married to a foreign national.
Deputy
Asia director Elaine Pearson said government restraints on expression, assembly and media freedoms meant the elections would be "grossly unfair to the opposition".