By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, November 6, updated -- Violence against the Muslim Rohingyas in Myanmar has become an issue not only of human rights, but increasingly of religious rights.
On November 6 Inner City Press asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky about a letter the Organization of Islamic Cooperation announced it sent urging Ban to raise Myanmar and the Rohingya in the Security Council, under the UN Charter.
Nesirky replied, "I'll check whether a letter has been received, I'm not aware of one. I don't think one needs to invoke a charter provision in this instance, already the Secretary General has been quite vocal as has Mr. Nambiar." Video here, from Minute 7:15. And see update below.
Without getting into Ban's silence amid violence in Rakhine State from Thursday, October 25 into the middle of the next week -- Ban was in South Korea, and the UN was silenced by Super Storm Sandy -- Ban's envoy Vijay Nambiar did mentioned the Rohingya in the UN's Third Committee on November 5.
But there, some noted, Nambiar said that the UN will start giving more aid to non-Muslims in Rakhine State, to make sure it is perceived as fair. Then Nambiar said the Secretariat would like his Good Offices mandate to have "more elbow room."
It is in that context that OIC has asked Ban to take the issue to the Security Council. Inner City Press asked Nesirky to speak directly to that, that the Security Council has powers under Chapter 7 of the Charter.
Nesirky said, "I do know what's in the charter. One doesn't need to invoke it here and now, given the Secretary General has been quite vocal on this... It would be for the council to see whether they wish to take this up."
Presumably the OIC, too, knows what the UN Charter says -- while knowing that the Security Council COULD take Myanmar up on its own, the OIC nevertheless asked Ban to raise it to the Council. Will he? Will the OIC letter even be acknowledged?
Update of 4:40 p.m. - after publication of the above, the following was sent and received:
Subject: Your question on MyanmarFrom: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply
Date: Tue, Nov 6, 2012 at 4:31 PM
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com
In response to your question on a letter from the Organization for Islamic Cooperation to the Secretary-General on Myanmar, we can confirm that the letter was received and processed today to the Special Adviser on Myanmar, Vijay Nambiar.
Date: Tue, Nov 6, 2012 at 4:31 PM
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com
In response to your question on a letter from the Organization for Islamic Cooperation to the Secretary-General on Myanmar, we can confirm that the letter was received and processed today to the Special Adviser on Myanmar, Vijay Nambiar.
That's a start. But how did Mr. Nambair "process" the request that Ban raise the issue to the Security Council? Watch this site.
