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4/5/99:LETTER TO UN SEC-GEN KOFI AN



Subject: Re: 4/5/99:LETTER TO UN SEC-GEN KOFI ANNAN(REPOSTED)

Dear Dr. Ne Oo:

Regarding your suggestion below, have you made serious consideration of the
ecological effects which could endanger the people of Shan States and their
livelihood?

You wrote:

"I have recently suggested the United Nations and international community to
initiate the aerial spraying programs in Shan State."

Regards,

Sai Wansai

----- Original Message -----
Cc: BurmaNet Editor <strider@xxxxxxxxxxx>; FreeBurma Coord
<nculwell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; MAYKHA-L <maykha-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>;
BURMANET-L <burmanet-l@xxxxxxx>; BURMANET2-L <burmanet2-l@xxxxxxxx>;
BURMANET1-L <burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, October 18, 1999 11:07 PM
Subject: 4/5/99:LETTER TO UN SEC-GEN KOFI ANNAN(REPOSTED)


> REPOSTED 19-OCT-99; 6:00AM
> [ADDED NOTE: Because of growing pressures, the Burmese junta might allow
> the Special Rapporteur to visit this time (at 54th UNGA). But that will
> be a too little & too late for a gesture of cooperation with
> international community and UN.-- U Ne Oo.]
>
> LETTER TO UN SECRETARY-GENERAL
> *******************************
> Dr U Ne Oo
> 18 Shannon Place
> Adelaide SA 5000
> AUSTRALIA
>
> 4 May 1999.
>
> Mr Kofi Annan
> The U.N. Secretary-General
> UN Headquarters
> United Nations New York NY 10017
>
> Dear Secretary-General:
>
> re: The visit of Special Envoy to Burma
>
> I am encouraged to learn that you will be sending Special Envoy, Mr de
> Soto, to Burma to assist the implementation of General Assembly
> resolution 53/162 and Commission on Human Rights resolution last month.
> We the Burmese people appreciate the efforts of Commission on Human
> Rights and the Special Rapporteur for compiling the reports and present
> resolution on Burma. I am grateful to the Secretary-General also for
> your continuing efforts, despite all difficulties, that have been made
> to improve the situation in Burma.
>
> As Secretary-General is aware, the military authorities have continue to
> detain the elected representatives since last September. Unfortunately,
> I have not seen any sign of the military junta moving towards a
> dialogue. I continue to believe that the way forward for reconciliation
> in Burma is the arrangement of a transitional government with the
> elected representatives as Legislature and ruling military council as
> Executive branch.
>
> Despite the difficulty to break the political stalemate in Burma, I
> appeal the Secretary-General and the Special Envoy to pressure the
> military junta to improve Burma's human rights and humanitarian
> problems. I believe followings are the issues which require urgent
> attention by the U.N. and international community.
>
> 1. Visit of Human Rights Special Rapporteur to Burma: The Special
> Rapporteur, Mr Rajsoomer Lallah, has not been allowed to visit Burma
> since his appointment in 1996. Therefore, the Special Envoy on his
> forthcoming trip to Rangoon should request the Burmese authorities to
> allow an immediate visit of Mr Lallah to various parts of Burma. There
> are reports of serious human rights violation occuring in Shan State in
> eastern Burma. There has also been continuing difficulty to solve
> residual cases of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh that is linked to
> citizenship issues. It is very important for Special Rapporteur to visit
> Burma in order to investigate these human rights problems.
>
> The Special Rapporteur, since 1996, has made several requests to
> military authorities to visit Burma. If the Special Envoy on this trip
> is unable to obtain permission for immediate visit of Mr Lallah to
> Burma, the UN Commission on Human Rights should authorise Mr Lallah to
> visit various areas in Burma without the permission of Burmese military
> authorities. Other possible arrangement, such as Special Rapporteur Mr
> Lallah to travel overland through Burmese border, may also be
> considered.
>
> 2. Burma's Co-operation on eradicating illicit drugs: The Special Envoy
> should urge the Burmese authorities to give unreserved co-operation in
> eradicating opium poppy cultivation in Shan State. I have recently
> suggested the United Nations and international community to initiate the
> aerial spraying programs in Shan State.
>
> 3. Unrestricted access for various humanitarian organisations to Burma:
> The Special Envoy should urge the Burmese military authorities allow
> independent humanitarian organisations to operate freely in Burma,
> especially in Shan and Kachin States. Reports indicate that there has
> been uncontrolled spread of HIV/AIDS disease among the drug users in
> these States. Furthermore, the humanitarian support for the
> opium-growing hill farmers will be crucial to break the cycle of illicit
> drug production in Shan State.
>
> The Special Envoy should also pressure Burmese authorities to give
> access to the UNHCR personnel to Karenni State, Karen State, Mon State
> and Tanasserim Division. The UNHCR is currently operating on
> Thailand-Burma border. The UNHCR must have access to both side of
> Thailand-Burma border in order to make preparatory examination and to
> co-ordinate safe and voluntary return of Burma's refugees.
>
> 4. Table a resolution at the UN Security Council: Upon drawing from our
> experience, it probable that the persuasion by Special Envoy on above
> matters will unlikely be successful. I therefore urge the U.N.
> Secretary-General to prepare a Security Council resolution on Burma
> regarding with above measures. In the event of the Special Envoy is
> unable to secure any co-operation from Burmese junta, the
> Secretary-General should formally put forward that resolution to all
> members of UN Security Council, enabling these member states to take
> appropriate action on Burma.
>
> 5. United Nations contact group for Burma: I appeal the
> Secretary-General as well as the international community to make the
> initiatives to form a UN Contact Group for Burma.
>
> In closing, I thank the Secretary-General for your kind attention to
> these matters. Continuing efforts by Secretary-General and the United
> Nations to solve Burma's political and human rights problems are greatly
> appreciated by the Burmese people.
>
> Yours respectfully and sincerely
> Sd. U Ne Oo
>
> Copy to:
> 1. Hon. Rajsoomer Lallah, Special Rapporteur for Human Rights, UN Centre
> for Human Rights, CH-1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland.
> 2. Hon. Madeleine Albright, Secretary of State, US Department of State,
> Washington DC 20520, U.S.A.
> 3. Ms Sadako Ogata, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Case Postale
> 2500, CH-1211 Geneva 2 Depot, Switzerland.
> 4. Mary Robinson, High Commissioner for Human Rights, Palias de Nations,
> CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland.
>
>
> --
> HTTP://www.physics.adelaide.edu.au/~uneoo
> EMAILS: drunoo@xxxxxxxxxxxx, uneoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> POSTMAIL: Dr U Ne Oo, 18 Shannon Place, Adelaide SA 5000, AUSTRALIA
> [http://freeburma.org/[http://www.angelfire.com/al/homepageas/index.htm]
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