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UN Diplomat in Burma, Will Human Rights Make the Schedule?

A senior UN diplomat has arrived in Burma to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi and members of the recently-elected government. This is the first visit by a high-ranking UN official since last year’s elections, a sign that the UN appears to be engaging with Burma’s new government even though the recent changes are more democratic in form than substance. In January, PHR released a report that revealed crimes against humanity in Burma perpetrated by the junta against the people of Chin State, western Burma. Burma’s human rights abuses are well documented and many, including PHR, have called for a UN commission of inquiry (COI) into human rights abuses in Burma. The outcomes of the talks may be an early indicator of the intentions of the new government. Hopefully the UN representative will bring human rights issues to the discussion table, and this is a chance for the new government to show it is serious about human rights.

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