Chronology of UN Visits to Burma
A duty to investigate arises as soon as a UN member state or a designated global monitor such as the ICRC receives verifiable information that heinous crimes are occurring. Since 1990, eight envoys have been appointed by the United Nations system to facilitate dialogue between the junta and the pro-democracy forces, and to carry out fact-finding missions in Burma. The timeline below, created by ALTSEAN, chronicles the visits and reports of UN envoys to Burma, all of which have been met with silence.
Download the full PDF version of the Chronology of UN Visits and Reports compiled by the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma (ALTSEAN)
On 22 March, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Burma Paulo Sergio Pinheiro interrupted his visit to Burma after discovering a listening device placed under the table in the room where he was conducting interviews with political prisoners in Rangoon's Insein prison. On 31 March, Pinheiro addressed the UN Commission on Human Rights, criticizing the SPDC's lack of progress in talks. "[...] Progress has regrettably been very limited and not at the pace or level that I had expected," Pinheiro said.
On 30 May, NLD members and supporters accompanying Daw Aung San Suu Kyi were attacked by pro-junta thugs near Depayin, Sagaing Division. As a result, more than 100 NLD members and elected MP, supporters, monks and students, were arrested, killed, wounded and missing. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, her deputy Tin Oo, and other NLD leaders, were subsequently detained.
In July, UN Special Envoy Razali Ismail urged the UN and ASEAN to coordinate efforts to obtain the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and promote reconciliation. A UN spokesman stated that UN Secretary General Kofi Annan expected Razali to "work with government officials toward her immediate and unconditional release."
Following intense international pressure, the SPDC allowed UN Special Envoy Razali Ismail to visit Rangoon from 6 to 10 June. The regime successfully hijacked the agenda so that instead of facilitating dialogue, Mr Razali's efforts were focused on obtaining a brief meeting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Than Shwe chose to snub Razali and show his contempt for the UN process by going on a beach vacation during Razali's trip.
In his August report to the UN General Assembly, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Burma Paulo Sergio Pinheiro said that "the deadlock symptoms with regard to the dialogue and escalating political tensions contributed to setting the scene for the tragic events of the night of 30 May, followed by a significant deterioration of the human rights situation." "The 30 May incident has undone in one stroke all the progress that had been achieved since the process of dialogue began in 2000", Pinheiro added.
On 30 August, the new SPDC Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt announced the regime's "seven-point roadmap to democracy." The roadmap was a response to heightened regional and international pressure following the Depayin massacre. Some members of the international community hailed it as a positive initiative towards a process of political transition.
On 8 September, UN Special Envoy for Burma Razali Ismail announced that the SPDC had scrapped plans for him to visit Burma that month.
On 9 September, at the UN General Assembly, SPDC Foreign Minister Win Aung responded to criticism that the SPDC was not committed to democratization and reconciliation by assuring that they had "the political will," Win Aung also attempted to reduce pressure regarding Daw Suu, saying, "We don't call this house arrest."
UNGA, 58th session, 5 August 2003, UN Doc A/58/219