(RTTNews) - The United States is backing a reported move by the United Nations to set up an international Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to look into possible war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Myanmar's military rulers.
"The United States supports establishing an international commission of inquiry to investigate alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma," said a senior Obama administration official.
The U.N. decision to setup a CoI followed a recommendation in March by the U.N. special rapporteur for human rights in Burma, Toms Ojea Quintana.
The COI move is meant to force the junta to end its authoritarian rule and free thousands of political prisoners ahead of the November 7 elections--a clear indication of a toughening of stance against the regime led by Senior General Than Shwe, who has been ruling Myanmar uninterrupted since 1992.
The US decision to back the U.N. move came after months of futile diplomacy by the Obama administration, which had offered greater engagement with the Burmese regime to persuade the junta to ensure a democratic rule.
China, a neighbor and close ally of Myanmar, is certain to veto if the U.S. seeks to have the U.N. Security Council establish a commission.
Alternatively, Washington could introduce a resolution in either the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva or the General Assembly in New York that would request either body to establish such a commission or have either body ask U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to do so.
The Obama administration entered office with a desire to shift course on Myanmar--to improve relations with all the nations of Southeast Asia. And, it sent high-ranking diplomats and held out the prospect of the resumption of some aid to that country.
It also opened dialogue about Myanmar's forthcoming elections hoping that the regime would usher in some measure of democracy.
But, the junta rebuffed these overtures, and announced restrictions on campaigning ahead of the coming elections, prompting pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), the main opposition party, to boycott the elections.
Meanwhile, the Obama administration is also considering tightening financial sanctions on the junta ahead of the November 7 general elections announced by the Myanmar government, which has been rejected by U.S. and other western nations as a sham.
Gen. Than Shwe has been accused of ordering brutal campaigns against ethnic insurgencies and dissidents, such as the 2007 crackdown on the "Saffron Revolution", during which scores of protesters, including several Buddhist monks, were killed and thousands jailed.
Quintana said violations included mass arrest of dissidents, deaths and torture of detainees and forced labor, which could involve categories of crimes against humanity or war crimes under international law.
Than Shwe's State Peace and Development Council also did not respect the election results of 1990 that favored the Aung San Suu Kyi's political party, and who remains under house arrest.
Source:http://www.rttnews.com/Content/Policy.aspx?Id=1397578&SM=1
"The United States supports establishing an international commission of inquiry to investigate alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma," said a senior Obama administration official.
The U.N. decision to setup a CoI followed a recommendation in March by the U.N. special rapporteur for human rights in Burma, Toms Ojea Quintana.
The COI move is meant to force the junta to end its authoritarian rule and free thousands of political prisoners ahead of the November 7 elections--a clear indication of a toughening of stance against the regime led by Senior General Than Shwe, who has been ruling Myanmar uninterrupted since 1992.
The US decision to back the U.N. move came after months of futile diplomacy by the Obama administration, which had offered greater engagement with the Burmese regime to persuade the junta to ensure a democratic rule.
China, a neighbor and close ally of Myanmar, is certain to veto if the U.S. seeks to have the U.N. Security Council establish a commission.
Alternatively, Washington could introduce a resolution in either the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva or the General Assembly in New York that would request either body to establish such a commission or have either body ask U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to do so.
The Obama administration entered office with a desire to shift course on Myanmar--to improve relations with all the nations of Southeast Asia. And, it sent high-ranking diplomats and held out the prospect of the resumption of some aid to that country.
It also opened dialogue about Myanmar's forthcoming elections hoping that the regime would usher in some measure of democracy.
But, the junta rebuffed these overtures, and announced restrictions on campaigning ahead of the coming elections, prompting pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), the main opposition party, to boycott the elections.
Meanwhile, the Obama administration is also considering tightening financial sanctions on the junta ahead of the November 7 general elections announced by the Myanmar government, which has been rejected by U.S. and other western nations as a sham.
Gen. Than Shwe has been accused of ordering brutal campaigns against ethnic insurgencies and dissidents, such as the 2007 crackdown on the "Saffron Revolution", during which scores of protesters, including several Buddhist monks, were killed and thousands jailed.
Quintana said violations included mass arrest of dissidents, deaths and torture of detainees and forced labor, which could involve categories of crimes against humanity or war crimes under international law.
Than Shwe's State Peace and Development Council also did not respect the election results of 1990 that favored the Aung San Suu Kyi's political party, and who remains under house arrest.
Source:http://www.rttnews.com/Content/Policy.aspx?Id=1397578&SM=1
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