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Gambari resumes Myanmar mission

SINGAPORE: The United Nations special envoy, Ibrahim Gambari, is beginning his sensitive mission to Myanmar, notwithstanding the latest decision by its military regime to expel another top U.N. official.

Mr. Gambari’s visit, the second since a new wave of anti-junta protests engulfed Myanmar from mid-August, is aimed at bringing about “national reconciliation” through the involvement of “all groups” in that country. These groups include Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, a force that the ruling junta has often sought to sideline.

At the height of tensions following the junta’s crackdown on Buddhist monks and other protesters ranging from pro-democracy campaigners to student activists, Mr. Gambari met Myanmar’s top military ruler, Than Shwe, at Naypyitaw, the capital, on October 2.

Shortly after that, Senior General Than Shwe announced his “conditional” willingness to engage Ms. Suu Kyi in a political dialogue, and appointed a liaison officer for that purpose. Mr. Gambari had met Ms. Suu Kyi twice during that visit.

There is no authoritative word yet on whether Sr. Gen. Than Shwe will engage Mr. Gambari in talks this time too. Commenting on the circumstances of Mr. Gambari’s mission, Singapore as the ASEAN Chair, said on Saturday that the U.N.’s good offices “offer hope for Myanmar to resolve key socio-economic problems and to work towards peaceful national reconciliation with all groups in the country.”

Expressing disappointment over Myanmar’s decision to discontinue the assignment of the UNDP Resident Coordinator, Charles James Petrie, Singapore said, “the announcement has come at a most inopportune time, just before the arrival of [U.N.] special adviser Ibrahim Gambari.”

The expulsion of the UNDP Coordinator “sends an inconsistent message about Myanmar’s willingness to continue engaging the U.N.”

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