UN special rapporteur on Myanmar re

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UN special rapporteur on Myanmar resigns citing lack of support

AFP, Geneva, 3 November 2000. The United Nation's special human
rights rapporteur on Myanmar has resigned, citing lack of support
from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights among
his reasons for quitting.

Rajsoomer Lallah told AFP he relinquished the mandate he has held for
just over four years on Thursday and had written a letter explaining his
reasons to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson.

He said he did not feel he had "had the kind of logistical and administrative
support" he needed and was told by the Office the problems were down
to a lack of resources.

"If I don't have the support, I don't feel I can usefully contribute what I 
can,"
Lallah, a former chief justice of the supreme court in Mauritius, said.

"Maybe there are some resource difficulties, financial difficulties, maybe
states of the UN should do more about financing," he said.

"All I know is that I don't get the kind of support that I need."

UN Human Rights Commission spokesman Jose-Luis Diaz said
the Office had done its best to support Lallah's mandate and added
"we can understand some of his frustrations.

"In an administration such as ours which is so dependent on limited
resources, sometimes we do have to juggle with personnel," he said.