As
Ban
Belatedly
Speaks From
Myanmar, It's
Promise of UN
Money, on Jazz
Day
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
April 30 --
After the
Myanmar
silence of UN
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon was
blamed by his
deputy
spokesman on
limited
Burmese
"infrastructure,"
belatedly a
read-out of
Ban's
meetings with
the Thein Sein
government was
issued.
In
it, Ban
expresses his
commitment to
work with the
Government
including "UN
technical
assistance and
help to
mobilize
financial
support for
Myanmar's
first
population and
housing census
in 2014."
So
who would pay?
It's reported
that
"in
the
two years
leading up to
the
data-collection
period, the
United
Nations
Population
Fund (UNFPA)
will be
assisting in
surveyor
training and
drafting
survey
documents.
UNFPA's
country
representative
Mohamed
Abdel-Ahad
called it an
especially
steep
challenge due
to the amount
of time
elapsed since
the last
census...Abdel-Ahad
said workers
expect to
carry out the
census in
April, 2014.
The United
Nations is
expected to at
least
partially
cover the
estimated
$53-million
cost."
The
Thein Sein
government,
even as it
denies voting
rights to and
shoots at the
Kachin, is
being lavished
with debt
forgiveness
and other
funds.
Still Ban's
buying
friendship,
and nice
quotes, with
UN money.
What's
new?
[One
thing's new on
April 30 at
the UN: Jazz
Day, video
here.]
From
transcript
of
the UN noon
briefing of
April 30:
Inner
City
Press:
Yesterday, the
Secretary-General’s
current trip
in
Myanmar, in
trying to
cover the trip
from here, it
was a limited
number of
journalists
that could go
and accompany
him. But,
there
has been a
total fall off
in readouts,
transcripts of
Q and A or
everything.
When they were
in India, we
were getting
like probably
a
dozen readouts
and then,
since he’s
been in
Myanmar, which
is going
on two going
on three days.
So what’s the
problem with
that?
Deputy
Spokesperson:
The major
problem is
that, in
India, you
have a
technical
infrastructure
that is much
more
sophisticated
than the one
in Myanmar,
and we have
been working
very hard to
try and get
the
electronic
correspondence
going between
Myanmar and
here. So,
whatever
readouts are
available
should be
available
soon.
Inner
City
Press: I have
seen some of
the media, I
guess,
organizations
that are
traveling with
him, having
quotes from
him at a
dinner, just
different
things. So,
obviously,
they can get
it out. And, I
just
wonder if you
really want
coverage of
it. Was there
some, it seems
strange, like
normally if he
sits down with
a preselected
limited
group of
journalists,
you send it
[inaudible]…
Deputy
Spokesperson:
We will post,
we will post
these things
when we can,
Matthew.
Inner
City
Press: Okay,
so, it is
purely
technical?
Deputy
Spokesperson:
Thank you very
much.
We
will still
be
covering this
trip, despite
this from
Ban's
Secretariat
"Thank
you for your
interest in
participating
in the
Secretary-General's
forthcoming
visit to
Myanmar. The
response was
overwhelming.
Unfortunately
we are unable
to offer your
organization a
place at
this time.
Thank you
again for your
interest, and
we hope you
will
have another
opportunity to
travel with
the
Secretary-General.
As no
official
announcement
has been made
about this
visit, we ask
that you
do not report
on it until an
official
announcement
has been
made."
Done
and
done. Here's
from Ban's
April 23 Press
encounter:
Inner
City
Press: At
least one
question on
Myanmar? Aung
San Suu Kyi
says
that there is
a standoff
between
National
League for
Democracy
(NLD)
members and
the
military-created
constitution.
What is your
view of
that? Also, of
the Kachin
area where
people were
not allowed to
vote
in this most
recent
election - are
you going to
look at that
while
you are there?
S-G
Ban
Ki-moon: First
of all, about
the first part
of your
question. I
sincerely hope
that they will
be able to
find a
mutually
agreeable,
harmonious way
to have smooth
proceedings of
this
Parliament.
They
have gone
through very
historic
by-elections
recently that
was
reflected by
the will of
the Myanmar
people. I have
taken note of
what President
Thein Sein
said about
this matter
and I hope
that they
will be able
to find a
resolution on
this issue
harmoniously
for the
further
democratization
of their
country.
On
the
second part of
your question,
I am
encouraged by
all of the
recent
movement in
trying to
reconcile with
the ethnic
groups,
particularly
with the Karen
National
Union. I hope
that the same
will
be emulated by
the Kachin
group. All in
all, it is
important that
Myanmar
authorities
reach out and
reconcile with
all the groups
for
their smooth
transition
towards a
further and
fuller
democratization
process. I
will have many
opportunities
of discussing
this matter,
starting with
President
Thein Sein, to
Aung San Suu
Kyi, to
speakers
of Parliament.
I will have
another
opportunity of
engaging the
ministers and
economic and
social-related
leaders there.
Thank you
very much.
Thank you.
We'll
see, as much
as possible or
permitted.
Watch this
site.
, 
