Myanmar's HR situation improving but 'serious challenges' remain: UN official

Jamaican Times (ANI) Monday 6th February, 2012

United Nations Human Rights Envoy Tomas Ojea Quintana has said he has witnessed a positive impact in Myanmar's recent human rights situation, but added that serious challenges still remain and need to be addressed.

Quintana made this remark after completing his six-day Myanmar mission.

"There is also a risk of backtracking on the progress achieved thus far. Therefore, at this crucial moment in the country's history, further and sustained action should be taken to bring about further change. Prior to its assumption of the Chairpersonship of ASEAN in 2014, I would encourage Myanmar to demonstrate concrete progress in improving its human rights situation," Xinhua quoted him, as saying.

He insisted that the international community should keep supporting and assisting the government during this crucial time, adding that steps taken by the government had the potential to bring about an improvement in the human rights situation in Myanmar and deepen its transition to democracy.

He stressed the importance to assess the human rights situation in Myanmar in light of some developments and at this key moment in Myanmar history, citing a continuing wave of reforms in the country since his last visit in August 2011 and saying that the speed and breadth of the reform has surprised many international observers and many in the country.

"The impact of these reforms on the country and on its people is immediately perceptible," he said.

He witnessed that significant legislative reforms were undertaken or are underway, including a new draft media law, which he was told would abolish censorship and provides some guarantees for the freedom of opinion and expression. (ANI)