Written by U Ne Oo on 1998-03-11
Dr U Ne Oo
18 Shannon Place
Adelaide SA 5000
Australia.
March 11, 1998.
Ms Mary Robinson
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
c/- U.N. Ceights
c/- U.N. Centre for Human Rights
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland.
Dear High Commissioner:
I am a Burmese national currently residing in Australia. I should like to call the High Commissioner's attention to the human rights abuses that are continuing to take place in Burma/Myanmar. Reports continue to be received about more arrest on political dissidents and also of the ill-treatment of political prisoners by the military government in Burma. Late last year, the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Myanmar, Judge Rajsoomer Lallah, has compiled these continuing abuses in his interim report A/52/484 and submitted to the General Assembly in December 1997. In connection with that report, I appeal the High Commissioner to make appropriate measures to investigate further on these human rights abuses and, in particular, to arrange Special Rapporteur to visit Burma without any preconditions set by the military government of Burma.
The Special Rapporteur, since his appointment in 1996, has not been allowed by the military government to visit Burma. We have the knowledge that the Special Rapporteur has made several formal requests to the military government: On 9th and 26th of July 1996, 9 January 1997 and 4 June 1997, the Special Rapporteur has sent letters to the Burmese junta. Because of the lack of cooperation by the Burmese military junta with the United Nations human rights procedure, the U.N. General Assembly in last December urges the Burmese authorities to cooperate fully with the Human Rights Special Rapporteur. The resolutin Rights Special Rapporteur. The resolution A/52/137 of 12 December 1997 states:
1. Expresses its appreciation to the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Myanmar for his interim report, and urges the Government of Myanmar to cooperate fully with the Special Rapporteur, and to ensure his access to Myanmar, without preconditions, in order to allow him fully to discharge his mandate;
I believe that it is appropriate, at this Commission on Human Rights meeting, to arrange the Special Rapporteur to visit Burma without any preconditions set by the Burmese military government. The Special Rapporteur should be allowed to investigate any human rights abuses and be allowed to visit any part of the country of which he considered to be appropriate. I urge the High Commissioner for Human Rights to use every available avenue to ensure such visit has taken place.
In closing, I thank the High Commissioner and especially the Speciaissioner and especially the Special Rapporteur, Judge Rajsoomer Lallah, for your continuing efforts to improve human rights situation in Burma. The unrelenting efforts by the United Nations and international community to improve human rights situation in Burma are greatly appreciated by the people of Burma.
Yours respectfully and sincerely
Sd. U Ne Oo
copy to:
1. Hon. Rajsoomer Lallah, Special Rapporteur for Human Rights, c/- Centre for Human Rights, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland.
2. Mr Alvaro de Soto, Assistant SSoto, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, United Nations, New York NY 10017, USA.
3. H.E. Abdoulie Momodou Sallah(Gambia), President of the Security Council, United Nations Headquarters, New York N.Y. 10017, U.S.A.
4. H.E. Hennadiy Udovenko(Ukraine), President of the General Assembly, United Nations Headquarters, New York N.Y. 10017, U.S.A.
5. Hon. Madeleine K Albright, U.S. Secretary of State, Main State Building - Room 7226, 2201 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20520-7512, USA.
6. H.E. Bill Richardson, US AmbassadAmbassador to the U.N., 799 United Nations Plaza, United Nations New York N.Y. 10017, U.S.A.
7. Hon. Alexander Downer, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600, Australia for information.
