On Myanmar, Nambiar Cites One "Friend" Saying Gov't Not Responsible for Rohingya Abuse, Ban Mentioned Kachin

By Matthew Russell Lee

 

UNITED NATIONS, September 28 -- There were two narratives as well as two names, Myanmar and Burma, at work at the UN this week. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation held a special meeting about the abuse of the Muslim Rohingya; Iraq's vice president called it "genocide."

  Meanwhile when UN envoy Vijay Nambiar emerged from the Friends on Myanmar meeting past 6 pm on Friday, he described an upbeat meeting, and even mused that either Myanmar should be invited into the group or the group be disbanded if the UN's Third Committee does not again pass a resolution this year. 

  Inner City Press asked Nambiar about the Rohingya, and whether Ban and he thought Myanmar should stop denying them citizenship and leaving them stateless.

  Nambiar gave a detailed answer, that the issue had been raised inside the meeting -- he pointed out that at least one member said that the government is not behind the attacks.

  Even as Nambiar answered on Rohingya, in the General Assembly the foreign minister of the UAE made calls on the government of Myanmar on the topic. This minister met with Ban Ki-moon last Friday - was the Rohingya issue raised?

   Of the Kachin, when Inner City Press asked Nambiar of the open letter to Ban from the Kachin National Organization, he acknowledged it and said Ban's opening statement had noted that the talks in Kachin have stalled. He talked about cease fires and military pullbacks -- concepts also deployed, but differently, in Syria.

   One wonders, if the Third Committee does not pass a resolution, if this UN "Good Offices" on Myanmar office will continue. At the Indian Mission to the UN this week, there were photographs of that country's Ambassadors, and UN officials. Nambiar is the senior Indian official in the UN system. If the mandate ends, what next? Watch this site.

On Myanmar, France Cautiously Welcomes, UK Worries of Kachin & Shan, Nambiar

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 27 -- When Ban Ki-moon's Group of Friends on Myanmar met Tuesday afternoon things were different. Despite an upsurge in government attacks and displacement in East and Northern Burma, the mood was congratulations, for freeing Aun Sang Suu Kyi and holding elections how ever flawed.

On the way into the meeting, Ban's chief of staff Vijay Nambiar could not find his way, even to the bathroom, requiring directions from an Associate Spokesperson. Afterward even the UK's Mark Lyall Grant said he hadn't raise the issue of replacing Nambiar, since Ban said he would send him back to the country.

But Nambiar never speaks to the press or answers questions. He is a Myanmar unto himself, perhaps perfect for the job if the job is cover up.

When the meeting was over, or actually before, French Ambassador Gerard Araud left the room, intent on presenting about Iran up at the French consulate. He told a reporter, as told to Inner City Press with direct concern, that France cautiously welcomes the changes in Myanmar. But what does that mean?

UK Permanent Representative Mark Lyall Grant, who left later, was more direct, saying that the UK is concerned about violence in the ethnic areas of the Kachin and Shan, and want the NLD political party to be able to register.

Inner City Press asked Lyall Grant if he'd raised his previous point, about the need to replace Nambiar. Not this time, Lyall Grant indicated, saying that since Ban had said he'd be sending Nambiar back to Myanmar and soon, he had held his tongue. And so it goes at the UN.

On Myanmar, Team Obama Dodges, Critiques, Resigns Itself to Chinese and Indian Dominance

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, September 26, 2010 -- The Obama administration's less critical stand on the military government in Myanmar has been on display of late.

In the run up to the September 27 meeting at the UN of the Group of Friends of the Secretary General on Myanmar, Inner City Press has been asking a range of Obama administration officials what the US position in the meeting, and on Myanmar, will be.

First, Inner City Press asked the Myanmar question to a senior US official who gave a briefing to preview the General Debate. The official, who has spoken about Sudan, Iran and a range of other topics, said they hadn't been briefed on Myanmar.

Then at an on the record session with US State Department spokesman PJ Crowly on September 21, Inner City Press asked about the “meeting of the Group of Friends and the Secretary General on Myanmar – Burma on Monday. With the NLD dissolved, like what’s the U.S. in this UNGA trying to accomplish on Burma?”

PJ Crowley said, “I’ll take the question of our involvement of that particular meeting and have that for you at our next briefing.”

But two days later, still no answer had been provided. After another US briefing, about President Obama's two speeches at the UN, Inner City Press tried again to get the US position.

As transcribed below, the State Department spokesman's presentation to Inner City Press of the US position on Myanmar and the meeting initially seems strong, critical of the military government of Than Shwe and other generals, but ultimately uses the support of China and India for Myanmar as a reason not to push for much.

Some point out that the Obama administration, loudly, does not allow Chinese support for Sudan to stop it from publicly speechifying about Sudan, and being seen to “apply pressure” to the al Bashir government.

Why has the US, as some see it, given up on Burma? Watch this site.

Here is the transcript of what State Department spokesman PJ Crowley told Inner City Press on September 23:

Inner City Press: Do you remember my Myanmar question. Did I miss a briefing of yours?

Crowley: No. There is a friend of Myanmar meeting on Monday. We will be participating. And we'll go through a full range of issues. Obviously our concerns about the human rights climate are well known. We have been encouraging Myanmar to open up political space. Clearly they have failed to do that. We have been encouraging them to have a serious dialogue with the various ethnic groups which compose their population. They haven't done that. The electoral laws that they've passed for the election later this fall we believe will not lead to a credible result. Just taking generals out of uniform and making them civilians is not enough. Part of the challenge with Burma is also working more collaboratively with other countries some of whom do have strong relations with Burma. To settle on a common approach and then see if we can't together demonstrate to Burma there are definitely things that they have to do.

Inner City Press: You mean India as well as China?

Crowley: yes

Inner City Press: There's this call for an international inquiry into war crimes in Burma which was made by the UN rapporteur. France has just said there's going pursue it in this GA. It was never clear to people if the Obama administration joined that call There were some articles where a senior US official said they supported the call but it was never.. I don't know what that meant. Do you know what I'm referring to?

Crowley Yeah I do. I don't know if that's going to be brought up at this meeting or not. Let's wait and see.

If the Obama administration were really behind this call for an inquiry into war crimes in Burma, it seems unlikely that the State Department spokesman would say “let's wait and see” if the issue comes up at the September 27 meeting the US is participating in. Watch this site.

At UN, As Friends on Myanmar Calculate Their Share, Ban Splits Difference

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/unfr2myan032510.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 25 -- Following the closed door meeting on Myanmar by the UN Secretary General's "Group of Friends" on Thursday morning, S-G Ban Ki-moon took two questions from the Press. One of his advisors told Inner City Press that both the United States and France have become "more nuanced," with only the UK still beating the drum about what they call Burma.

He said that donors like Norway and Australia and Japan are trying to "recalibrate." He snidely pointed out that on roads outside of Yangon, the construction equipment is "all from Caterpillar," the U.S. firm.

Meanwhile, India's Tata now plans a truck factory in Myanmar. India is said to be concerned that if they don't invest, Myanmar will become an economic colony of China. Money is talking.

Ban was flanked by his interim envoy to Myanmar, Vijay Nambiar and performed under the watchful eyes of diplomats from Friends of Myanmar who urge a hands-off approach. One of these told Inner City Press, before Ban began, that he would mention something about "that lady." Inner City Press was about to say, "The Lady?" but then asked Ban about it. See below.

From the UN's transcript:

Inner City Press: Mr. Secretary-General, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has said, she has actually encouraged the NLD not to register for the polls under the current laws. I wonder what do you think can happen between now and when a date is set. Would you view that as a fatal flaw to the election, if the NLD didn’t participate? And are you thinking of naming a more permanent successor to Mr. [Ibrahim] Gambari to carry out the good offices? Some say that having an interim person may either reflect or be interpreted as a lack of commitment on the issue.

SG: If what she said is based on her genuine belief, based on the current situations, then we have to respect her decision. I’m not quite sure what the surrounding circumstances were as she made that statement. However, she is the leader of her party and when she said such decision then I think that should be respected. That depends upon how people will decide on that. As a matter of principle, as I have said repeatedly, publicly and privately to the Myanmar leadership, that this election should be fully open, transparent, inclusive and participatory and credible, and I told the Myanmar leadership that without full participation of all the people, including political prisoners, and particularly Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, it may not be regarded as credible and inclusive. Therefore all the process and development, we have to carefully monitor. And about the appointment of Mr. Gambari’s position: at this time I have designated my Chef de Cabinet, Mr. Vijay Nambiar as ad interim Special Advisor until such time when I will be able to find a Special Advisor for that post.

Inner City Press: There was at least one report that you proposed a name to Myanmar and they turned it down. Maybe the report was wrong?

SG: No. I have never proposed any names.

The purveyor of the report was the only other journalist to ask Ban a Myanmar question. Before he did, a UN Security Officer asked him to move away from the meeting room. He maintained to Inner City Press that Nambiar traveled to Myanmar to deliver Ban's letter, and that Ban has received a response that emphasizes Myanmar's sovereignty.

Inner City Press asked at the noon briefing for confirmation that a response had been received, but the spokesman merely said he would look into it. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unfr2myan032510.html

At UN, Friends on Myanmar Meet Amid UK Posturing, China Intransigence, Ban Answers?

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/unfr1myan032510.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 25, updated below -- Myanmar is the topic of a closed door meeting this morning in the UN's new three story building by the East River here, the day after the UK raised Burma in the Security Council, only to have China call it a "sovereign state that must be respected." We will live blog here from outside the meeting.

On the run up to this meeting of the Group of on Myanmar meeting, two senior UN officials portrayed the UK and Gordon Brown as opportunistic, trying to take domestic credit for the meeting which was already planned before Gordon Brown requested it. "He did the same thing after Cyclone Nargis," one of the officials said to Inner City Press. "He knew the Secretary General was going, so he called for him to go."

The other official told Inner City Press that the UN has advised Myanmar to get better at public relations at the UN. "But they are a military regime, very military minded," the official lamented. The UN would like to rehabilitate their image if not their practices.

The Group of Friends of the Secretary General on Myanmar begins meeting at 10 a.m. in the UN's new North Lawn building, followed by a televised stakeout on the building's second floor. We will live blog it below.
Inner City Press was told late Wednesday that Ban Ki-moon might not take or answer questions after the meeting.

But on March 24 he told Inner City Press that on Myanmar, "I will answer you tomorrow." From the March 24 UN transcript:

Inner City Press: I wanted to ask in the run-up to this meeting with the Group of Friends of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi has said that her party, the NLD [National League for Democracy], and other opposition parties, shouldn't even register for the poll, that the election laws are flawed. I'm wondering; you convened the meeting, what's your thinking of what the UN can do, given that the main opponent now wants to boycott it?

SG Ban: let me answer tomorrow afternoon after I have convened the meeting of the Group of Friends of Myanmar. I need to discuss this matter with the ambassadors participating in that meeting. I will have a clearer answer, if you excuse me.

We'll see. At 9:30 am, it was announced Ban WILL speak at 11. We will live blog the meeting and stakeout here -- watch this space.

Update of 10:15 a.m. -- Outside Conference Room 5 in the UN's new North Lawn building, Ambassador Churkin of Russia and Lyall Grant of the UK walked in and stood speaking. The DPR of India, jovial, arrived, as did Singapore's Perm Rep. Just after 10, Ban Ki-moon arrived, with Vijay Nambiar, Kim Won-soo, Lynn Pascoe and other staff.

Of the media, only two cameras were present: Japanese TV and Inner City Press. Next door, a UN Global Compact meeting broke up. UNGC director Kell came out and told Inner City Press, you can't quote us. Is there no press availability? No. This is our first time in the new building, Kell said. Then a UN Security Officer came over and asked to see Inner City Press' credential. Only at the UK.

The Myanmar meeting began.

Update of 10:45 a.m. -- unlike when staking out past meetings of the Group of Friends on Myanmar, which were held in the basement of the UN's "old" Conference Building where spokespeople and even Ambassadors would step outside to smoke and talk, including ot the press, this new building is antiseptic. There is no reason for anyone to step out of the meeting room, so no one does.

While waiting, a request has been made to the UN Global Compact for a list of its corporate members who do business in Myanmar, and how.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unfr1myan032510.html

UN's Friends on Myanmar to Meet March 25, UK's Letter Catches Up to Ban

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive
www.innercitypress.com/ukun2mybiar031710.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 17 -- Amid criticism of the election laws propounded by Burmese military leader Than Shwe, at the UN on March 25 the Group of Friends of the Secretary General on Myanmar will meet, Inner City Press has learned.

On March 16, after UK prime minister Gordon Brown had been quoted in a government press release that he had sent a letter to S-G Ban Ki-moon requesting an emergency meeting in New York, Inner City Press asked Mr. Ban if he had gotten the letter, and if there would be a meeting of his Group of Friends.

No, Mr. Ban replied, he had not gotten any UK letter. But he said there might be a meeting of the Group of Friends.

UK Permanent Representative to the UN Mark Lyall Grant, who had no-commented a Press question about Myanmar on his way into the Security Council Tuesday morning, did not come to Wednesday's Council meeting.

His Deputy Philip Parham came, but split off from Austria's Ambassador and entered the chamber without passing by the press. Austria's Ambassador told Inner City Press that on Myanmar, he had no more information than the day before.

But later on Wednesday morning, not from the UK mission, Inner City Press learned that Mr. Ban has requested a meeting of his Group of Friend on March 25. China cannot block it, the source said. The Friends meet when Mr. Ban requests it.

A question is whether Ban will claim that he was already planning to convene his Group of Friends on Myanmar before getting -- or even hearing about -- Gordon Brown's letter.

Timing is everything, especially in the absence of action.

The Press has been told that Tuesday following Mr. Ban's noon press conference at the conclusion of which he told Inner City Press he had no letter from Brown but there might be a meeting of the Friends, the UK's Lyall Grant finally hand delivered Brown's letter to Ban.

Had Ban heard of Brown's letter, and decided to get out in front of it? Or do great or at least Friendly minds think alike?

And see, www.innercitypress.com/ukun2mybiar031710.html

Child Soldiers in Sudan and Myanmar, No UN Comment on Sri Lanka, LRA on Move

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/caac1sudmysri112709.html

UNITED NATIONS, November 27 -- In South Sudan, both local officials and humanitarian groups are calling for the UN Mission in Sudan to do more to protect civilians from the Lord's Resistance Army, UN child soldier expert Radhika Coomaraswamy told the Press on November 25. She also acknowledged that the government of Myanmar continues to recruit child into its "vast" army, while declining to comment on children and armed conflict issues in her native Sri Lanka.

While in Sudan, Ms. Coomaraswamy met with the governor of Western Equatoria after she met with humanitarian groups. The latter urged that UNMIS do more to protect civilians, and that the Security Council strengthen the Mission's mandate if that is the only way to make UNMIS take these actions. The governor echoed these concerns.

After her briefing, Inner City Press asked Ms. Coomaraswamy whether the governor or the NGOs raised this concern firm. She replied that the NGOs raised it to her, so she asked the governor.

Inner City Press asked about reports that the LRA is moving into South Darfur. Ms. Coomaraswamy said that the LRA is said to be "moving up the Central African Republic" to the border with South Darfur. Video here, from Minute 35:43. Since Ms. Coomaraswamy's November 25 briefing, the Justice and Equality Movement rebels have fired back, saying she did not visit their camps, click here for that.

Later in the briefing, on non-Sudan questions, Inner City Press asked about the Than Shwe government's continued recruitment of child soldiers in Myanmar, and about the just announced moves on internally displaced persons including children in Sri Lanka's internment camps.

Ms. Coomaraswamy replied, in a seeming partial defense of Myanmar, that the recruitment takes places at the "regional" level -- every place is in a region, isn't it? -- and that if the UN gets an action plan with the military junta, it will be allowed to verify. We'll see.

On Sri Lanka, on which Inner City Press posed questions to Ms. Coomaraswamy as Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, she replied that she has appointed Patrick Cammaert to go there from December 5 to 11, that he will hold a press briefing after that and answer all Sri Lanka questions. Video here, from Minute 46:57.

In the past, Ms. Coomaraswamy has at least proffered some answer to Sri Lanka questions. Ironically, by appointing Cammaert, she now defers all questions to him. But he is in UN Headquarters much less than she is. After the briefing, Inner City Press told Ms. Coomeraswamy that the test will be if Cammaert is as accessible, that is, able to be accessed, as she is. Again, we'll see after December 11. Watch this site.

Footnote: Inner City Press has asked UNICEF about a child soldier issue raised to it in Georgia, and has been promised an answer. While Ms. Coomaraswamy was not asked about it on November 25, one wonders how many issues are out there, from Yemen to the Philippines, and what her Office should do to make these known. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/caac1sudmysri112709.html

As U.S. and Japan "Engage" with Myanmar, Singapore Praises Army in Government

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/banvac8myanmar092309.html

UNITED NATIONS, September 23 -- As the UN's "Group of Friends of the Secretary General on Myanmar" met Wednesday in the UN's basement, in the penned in area outside, the talk was of backsliding. Despite the near rote talk about Aung San Suu Kyi, the U.S. is said to be ready to "engage" with the military government of Than Shwe. And when Singapore's foreign minister George Yeo emerged, he said he welcomed Hillary Clinton's statement.

Inner City Press asked, what about the upsurge in violence against ethnic groups, such as in the Kokang regions, leading to refugee flows? The Singaporean minister said that was not discussed, that "drugs" were not discussed, only refugees.

Despite this cognitive dissonance, Inner City Press asked if he thought the UN should provide electoral assistant -- just cut off to Honduras -- since the Myanmar constitution devotes seats to those with military background. That is not a bad thing, the Minister asked, the involvement of the military. Video here.

Friends on Myanmar, indeed. The contradiction of suspending election aid to Honduras, but moving to provide it in Myanmar, will be explored.

Earlier on Wednesday, Inner City Press asked Kazuo Kodama, Press Secretary for the Prime Minister of Japan, for his country's position on Myanmar. Tellingly, the issue did not come up in the Prime Minister's meeting with Barack Obama. But, it emerged, it did come up in his meeting with the UK's Gordon Brown. The spokesman added, as if by rote, the Aung San Suu Kyi should be freed.

Later, the Japanese foreign minister came out of the Friends' meeting and took two questions in Japanese, none in English. Presumably, he did not respond to the calls that Japan divest of Nippon Oil Exploration (Myanmar), with a stake in natural gas in the country. We'll see.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/banvac8myanmar092309.html

On Myanmar's Nuclear Plans, UN's Ban Declines Comment, Group of Friends Split on Constitution

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/banvac2myanmar080509.html

UNITED NATIONS, August 5 -- Emerging from a meeting with his Group of Friend on Myanmar, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was asked by Inner City Press what he makes of reports that Myanmar is developing a nuclear reactor or even, in an early stage, nuclear weapons with the assistance of North Korea and Russia. "I do not have any information on that," Mr. Ban replied, "therefore I am not able to comment on that."

Afterwards, a senior Ban advisor told Inner City Press that Mr. Ban had been prepared to answer the question, and that the planned if-asked talking point was that the UN does not have an substantial or verifiable information, but that if it is true, it is a matter of grave concern as this is precisely the moment the international community should be driving toward non-proliferation. Oh that Ban had said that.

It was also explained to Inner City Press that if it had managed to ask if Ban favors modification of the country's constitution, pushed through in the wake of Cyclone Nargis, which devotes 25% of seats to people with military backgrounds, Ban probably would not have answer. "The Group of Friends is divided on that," the source explained.

He argued against the theory that the timing of Wednesday's meeting was meant to allow Ban, before he set off on vacation, to speak his piece Myanmar. Rather, he said, some thing that Myanmar blinked on July 31 and put off the Aung San Suu Kyi verdict.

With another statement, perhaps they'll think hard about what verdict to impose. But again, Inner City Press asks, not without sarcasm, does that mean Ban questions the separation in Myanmar between the judicial and executive - or military - branches of government? We're not commenting on that, a UN official answered. Nor about the Constitution. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/banvac2myanmar080509.html

As Group of Friends on Myanmar Meets at the UN, UK Perm Rep Sawers Doesn't Friend Them Despite UK Push for Trip

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/bangam1myanmar070809.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 8 -- In the run up to the trip to Myanmar by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and his envoy Ibrahim Gambari, Prime Minister Gordon Brown told the House of Commons that the UK had urged Ban to go to Burma. The trip took place; General Than Shwe rejected Ban's request to meet with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi; nearly everyone called the endeavor a failure.

With Ban still out of New York, at the G-8 meetings in Italy, Gambari descended to the UN basement on July 8 to brief the 14 countries on Ban's Group of Friends on Myanmar. Notably, UK Permanent Representative John Sawers was not present, unlike his counterparts from Japan, Indonesia and Singapore, among others. Some some suspected Facebook fallout -- and joked of Sawers not "friending" the Group -- others questioned the UK being so loud before the trip, and so quiet afterwards, at least in public.

Gambari, normally affable, rushed into the meeting room. UN staff have confirmed to Inner City Press that Than Shwe in a fit of pique made Gambari travel to the country's jungle capital by road, rather than by air. Reportedly, surrounded by the Ban-selected scribes on this most recent trip, Gambari wished for the presence of other reporters, to witness the indignities and discomforts that he has been going through.

There was also the report -- an exclusive by Inner City Press -- that Gambari's name was offered by Ban as a possible replacement for Rodolphe Adada in Darfur, but that some Western powers rejected it. A subsequent candidate Said Djinnit earlier on June 8 thanked Inner City Press for not asking publicly about the Darfur post, at least not during his press conference on West Africa (Inner City Press' report on West Africa is forthcoming.)

Indonesia's Ambassador strode in jaunty as ever; Japan's Takasu with a staffer. China's also jaunty Deputy had Xinjiang on his mind, saying that despite Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan's statement that Turkey will put Xinjiang on the Security Council's agenda (see Inner City Press story here), the Turkish Mission to the UN has received no instructions to this effect. Other Ambassador's marveled at the recent and dirty campaign to re-nominate Mr. Supachai as secretary general of UNCTAD.

Diplomat's minds seemed everywhere except on Myanmar. But since the UK asked for the trip, some felt Sawers should have been present. He spoke of the issue earlier in the day, but only to select reporters, and only off the record. Whether this approach is the best for Burma is in question. Watch this space.

Update of 4:07 p.m. -- to be fair, Sawers' affable deputy was present. Whether he will speak on the record after the meeting, given the UK's role, remains to be seen.

Update of 4:31 p.m. -- while the Friends on Myanmar continue meeting, the head of a Security Council mission spoke to Inner City Press about the Turkish Prime Minister - China imbloglio: "that's why we have a free Press," he said.... But on Myanmar, there are no other reporters outside the Friends' basement meeting.

Update of 5:15 p.m. -- And when the meeting broke up, like clock work at precisely five o'clock, Gambari declines to speak with the Press, saying to wait for Ban to return to New York. Inner City Press said, or asked, "Ban will speak to the Security Council?" "Or to this group," Gambari answered. That would be to further downgrade the Myanmar issue.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/bangam1myanmar070809.html