UNITED NATIONS, April 5 -- Myanmar is not on the UN Security Council's April work plan presented to the Press on Monday by Japan's Yukio Takasu, this month's Council President.
Given the professed interest of Council members the U.S., France, UK as well as Japan, Inner City Press asked Ambassador Takaso what the Council or Japan will do, following the National League for Democracy's decision to boycott this year's election, from which Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners are excluded. Video here, from Minute 36:56, non-verbatim transcript below.
Ambassador Takasu said "we were hoping the general election would be inclusive, meaning that people are entitled to participate. It is up to Mrs. Aung San Suu Kyi or some individual to participate or not. But with this legal impediment, it cannot be considered inclusive." Video here, from Minute 38:50.
"We were very disappointed" with the electoral law, Takasu continued, saying this was communicated by Foreign Minister Okada to either senior Secretariat staff, senior Myanmar leaders or both, the former to the latter.
With Secretary General Ban Ki-moon yet to replace former Myanmar envoy Ibrahim Gambari, who left the position in December, some wonder at the UN's and international community's commitment.
Others say that the U.S. Mission to the UN favors leaving interim envoy Vijay Nambiar in place until after the boycotted elections.
Could this be similar to the US's strange acceptance of Sudan's flawed election, on which it has requested a Council briefing this week, while on the ground Scott Gration praises it? And given Japan's initial disinterest in election flaws and violence in Iran, how seriously can we take its commitment to an inclusive and credible election in Myanmar? We'll see, this month. Watch this site.
Non-verbatim transcript by ICP's UnFriends On Myanmar of Ambassador Takasu's response to Inner City Press' Myanmar question:
Takasu ... There is very broad support of the role of the Secretary-General's good offices, and the message that the Secretary-General has been conveying to Myanmar's leaders and government has the full support of all of us. Myanmar has been making progress in democratization ... but now at this moment, this general election, they promised to do it this year. It is an extremely important occasion. So it's not only that it be free and fair ... but it should be inclusive and credible. I think there is broad support for that. What has happened since the publication of the electoral law including this disqualification of certain category of people. ...
It will not be a good basis for an inclusive and credible election. As far as Japan is concerned, we regret very much, because at a very senior level we have been talking very closely and we were hoping that this forthcoming general election would be not only free and fair but inclusive. Inclusive means that at least they are entitled to participate. ... However because of the legal impediment ... I don't think this is inclusive.
We are therefore very disappointed and this disappointment has been communicated very straightly from FM Okada himself, and that was conveyed to the very senior people in the Myanmar leadership. ...
