UN special rapporteur on human rights visits Myanmar

YANGON - United Nations Special Rapporteur Tomas Ojea Quintana arrived in Myanmar Monday for a five-day official visit to assess the country’s political and human rights situation prior to a general election planned this year.

Ojea Quintana met with diplomats based in Yangon and the legal team of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is serving an 18-month house arrest sentence.

The lawyers, including Kyi Win, Nyan Win, Hla Myo Myint and Khin Htay Kywe informed Ojea Quintana that Myanmar’s judicial system was not up to international standards.

They are currently seeking to appeal Suu Kyi’s latest detention term, which should keep her out of the way during the polls planned this year.

Ojea Quintana has asked for official permission to meet with Suu Kyi Feb 18. He also said he wanted to visit Sittwe Prison in Rakhine State Tuesday morning and Buthidaung prison in Rakhine State Wednesday.

Thursday, he is to attempt to visit Yangon Prison before travelling to Naypyitaw, the new military capital, Friday to meet with the home minister, labour minister, foreign minister, chief justice and police chief separately.

There are at least 2,100 political prisoners in jail in Myanmar, deemed a pariah state among Western democracies.

Suu Kyi, 65, leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) opposition party, has spent 14 of the past 20 years under detention.

Saturday, Myanmar authorities released Tin Oo, the 84-year-old deputy leader of the NLD, after keeping him under house detention for seven years.

Tin Oo was a founder of the NLD. The party won the 1990 general election but was denied power by Myanmar’s ruling military regime.

The junta has promised to stage an election this year, although many analysts doubt it would be free or fair. The 2008 constitution pushed through by the military assures the army a controlling role over any elected government by allowing it to dominate the Senate.

It is not yet clear whether the NLD is to contest the election.

Tin Oo was scheduled to meet with the party executive committee Monday to discuss the election and other matters.

Authorities arrested Tin Oo in May 2003 on charges of disturbing public order, after pro-government militias attacked the convoy carrying him and Suu Kyi near Depayin in Upper Myanmar.

In August, a Yangon court sentenced Suu Kyi to 18 more months under house arrest for breaking the conditions of her previous detention, by allegedly allowing US citizen John Yettaw to swim to her lakeside compound.