On
Myanmar
Election
Excluding
Rohingya, US
Kerry Offers
Muted Praise
By Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
November 8 --
After
Myanmar's
election,
excluding
Rohingya, US
Secretary of
State John
Kerry on
November 8
issued this:
"The United
States
congratulates
the people of
Burma on the
November 8
election and
commends all
of the people
and
institutions
in the country
who worked
together to
hold a
peaceful and
historic
poll.
Millions of
people from
around the
country, many
of whom were
voting for the
first time,
seized this
opportunity to
move one step
closer to a
democracy that
respects the
rights of
all--a
testament to
the courage
and sacrifice
shown by the
people of
Burma over
many
decades.
While these
elections were
an important
step forward,
we recognize
that they were
far from
perfect. There
remain
important
structural and
systemic
impediments to
the
realization of
full
democratic and
civilian
government,
including the
reservation of
a large number
of unelected
seats for the
military; the
disfranchisement
of groups of
people who
voted in
previous
elections,
including the
Rohingya; and
the
disqualification
of candidates
based on
arbitrary
application of
citizenship
and residency
requirements.
The United
States, along
with the
domestic and
international
observers, has
closely
monitored the
electoral
process.
We will
continue to
watch the vote
counting
process, and
encourage all
parties to
help ensure
the tabulation
is transparent
and credible
and any
complaints are
addressed
promptly,
transparently,
and
appropriately.
Today’s
election has
the potential
to be an
important step
towards
greater peace,
prosperity,
and democracy
for the people
of
Burma.
We encourage
the political
leaders in the
country to
work together
in the spirit
of national
unity and
democratic
reform to seek
what is best
for the
country.
A peaceful
post-election
period is
crucial for
stability and
maintaining
the confidence
of the people
in the
credibility of
the electoral
process and
the overall
political
transition.
The United
States remains
committed to
supporting the
people of
Burma in their
pursuit of
democracy,
development,
and national
reconciliation
going
forward."
Human
rights and
freedom of
expression in
Myanmar were
the topics of
UN Special
Rapporteur
Yanghee Lee's
UN press
conference on
October 29.
Inner City
Press asked
her of reports
of possible
genocide
against
Rohingya, of
Aung San Suu
Kyi's relative
silence on the
issue, and if
she works with
UN “Good
Office” envoy
Vijay Nambiar,
also
relatively
quiet about
rights.
Yanghee Lee
answers were
highly
diplomatic --
too much so,
some might
say, if it is
a genocide
that's coming.
She said that
word is too
strong; she
praised Aung
San Suu Kyi's
statements
about the rule
of law. She
said she works
closely with
Nambiar. Video
here.
Her approach
can be
contrasted
with that of
Marzuki
Darusman, for
example, on
North Korea.
Does the
difference
spring from
different
personalities,
or from the
positions of
major member
states, many
of whom have
been claiming
a human rights
win in Myanmar
as in Sri
Lanka,
what ever the
facts on the
ground? We'll
have more on
this.
On October 22
when UN
Rapporteur of
Freedom of
Expression
David Kaye
held a press
conference
before his
appearance
before the
UN's Third
Committee, his
topic was
whistleblower
protection, on
which the UN
itself is
particularly
weak.
When
called on,
Inner City
Press asked
Kaye about
retaliation
against UN
official
Anders Kompass
for blowing
the whistle on
alleged child
rapes by
French troops
in the Central
African
Republic. Video here and embedded below.
Free
speech ironies
at the UN were
on display
right in
Kaye's press
conference.
The
representative
of the UN
Correspondents
Association,
which among
other things
took funds
from
now-indicted
David Ng's
South South
News and then
give it an
award, and gave
Ng a photo op
with Ban
Ki-moon at
Cipriani,
demanded to
ask the first
question, even
claiming that
the UN
Department of
Public
Information
has granted
this “right”
in writing.
Where?
, 
