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 4 March, at the end of a four-day visit to Burma, UN Special Envoy Razali Ismail emerged confident that SPDC-NLD relations were improving. Razali said SPDC Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt appeared committed to allowing democracy, but needed "more power to push it through." "I am convinced that the Prime Minister wants to move the process forward all the way to democracy," Razali said. Razali also said that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi wanted to "turn the page" and work "in a harmonized relationship" with the junta. During his talks with Gen Khin Nyunt and NLD leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Razali was said to have suggested the creation of a "constitution-drafting council" ahead of the National Convention. The forum would allow a tripartite dialogue between the junta, the NLD, and the ethnic nationalities. Having failed once again to secure Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's release, or any breakthrough in the democratization process, Razali was nevertheless "encouraged by the expressions of commitment of the Prime Minister to implement, in an all-inclusive manner, the Government's seven-step roadmap, starting with the reconvening of the National Convention."
The regime's "pragmatists", Foreign Minister Win Aung and Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt continued to mesmerize the international community with promises to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and include the NLD in the National Convention. UN Special Envoy Razali Ismail expressed similar optimism following his visit to Rangoon in early March. He said that 16 April had been fixed as an "informal deadline" for the Nobel Laureate's release. Razali had to set a new deadline for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's release after the National Convention started without her in May 2004. Razali said the NLD leader's detention was unacceptable and that he hoped to set a timeframe for her release "well before" ASEAN's annual summit in Vientiane, Laos, in November.
With the departure of SPDC Foreign Minister Win Aung on 18 September, Razali's standing with the regime weakened. Win Aung was considered a "moderate", in favor of engagement with the international community and close to General Khin Nyunt, the junta's PM and main interlocutor to Razali.
CHR, 60th session, 5 January 2004, E/CN.4/2004/33
UNGA, 59th session, 30 August 2004, A/59/311
CHR, 61st session, 2 December 2004, E/CN.4/2005/36