Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/bangam4myanmar071309.html
UNITED NATIONS, July 13 -- Myanmar's purported election slated for 2010 requires that one quarter of the seat go to candidates with military backgrounds, and precludes opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from running for office, since she married a foreigner.
Nevertheless, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on July 13 told the Security Council that during his recent visit, Myanmar's "Senior General Than Shwe has pledged to make the elections free and fair."
After Mr. Ban spoke to the Council, he came to the Council stakeout to take four questions. Since the other questions ranged from Lebanon through Sudan to Srebenica, Inner City Press went first, asking about Myanmar:
Inner City Press: Mr. Secretary-General, you said that [Senior General] Than Shwe has committed to make the elections free and fair. But the constitution that was passed right after the cyclone says that a quarter of the seats have to go to people with military backgrounds, and that Aung San Suu Kyi couldn’t run because she married a foreigner. Under those conditions, how can you believe that the elections are going to be free, fair or credible?
SG Ban: I urged Senior General Than Shwe that this election should be fair and free, but also legitimate, inclusive and credible. To be credible and legitimate, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners should be released. I emphasized that, without participation of Aung San Suu Kyi, without her being able to campaign freely, and without her NLD party [being able] to establish party offices all throughout the provinces, this election may not be regarded as credible and legitimate.
Inner City Press: Should she be a candidate?
SG Ban: That is what I am going to continue to follow up. You have heard the Permanent Representative of Myanmar saying that his Government is now taking some procedures to allow some amnesty. But I’m not quite sure who will be included in this amnesty. But I have made it quite clear that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in particular should be released and free to participate in the election. [Video here.]
The question is, by "free to participate" does Ban Ki-moon mean "free to run for office"? Because the Constitution which Myanmar pushed through during the time of Cyclone Nargis prohibit a person who had a foreign spouse, even if as is the case with Ms. Suu Kyi the spouse has died, from running for office.
Inner City Press has repeatedly asked Ban's spokesperson and his envoy to Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari, for the UN's position on Myanmar's constitution, whether any "free and fair" election is possible under its terms. The UN has thus far refuse to comment on that constitution, calling into question its commitment to free and fair elections.
Mr. Gambari last week affably told Inner City Press to please wait for him to comment, until after Ban Ki-moon briefed the Council. After the briefing and the stakeout, Inner City Press called out after Ban and Gambari, respectively, "travel safely" (to Egypt for the Non-Aligned Movement meeting) and "now you can talk." Gambari replied, the boss had just spoken. But what is the UN's position on the Myanmar constitution? Watch this site.
Footnote: Beyond his failure to meet during his visit with Aung San Suu Kyi, questions that have arisen since the trip include reports that even the former armed groups Mr. Ban met with were told what to say by the regime of General Than Shwe, and that he listened to opposition groups only two minutes each. Of the former issue, Ban's spokesperson Michele Montas told Inner City Press last week that Ban "would be become aware of it." On the latter, Ms. Montas said she didn't know how long each opposition group got with her boss. Presumably he does. We will await more answers.
