OFFICE OF THE SUPREME HEADQUARTERS
KAREN NATIONAL UNION
KAWTHOOLEI
KNU Statement on UN Process for National Reconciliation
February 19, 2009
1. The Karen Nation Union (KNU) welcomes the United Nations Security Council’s continued engagement on the situation in Burma.
2. However, the KNU is disappointed that the seventh visit to Burma by UN Special Advisor Ibrahim Gambari has failed to secure any tangible progress. We are concerned that once again a United Nations envoy has visited Burma without also meeting with genuine representatives of Burma’s ethnic nationalities, such as the Karen National Union.
We note that United Nations Security Council resolution of 11th October 2007 (S/PRST/2007/37) stated:
“The Security Council stresses the need for the Government of Myanmar to create the necessary conditions for a genuine dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all concerned parties and ethnic groups, in order to achieve an inclusive national reconciliation with the direct support of the United Nations.”
3. Successive United Nations General Assembly Resolutions have also stressed the need for the involvement of ethnic nationalities, as well as highlighting how ethnic people are subjected to appalling human rights abuses.
4. The 2006 United Nations General assembly resolution on Myanmar drew attention to:
“... violations suffered by persons belonging to ethnic nationalities of Myanmar, including extrajudicial killings, rape and other forms of sexual violence persistently carried out by members of the armed forces; the continuing use of torture, deaths in custody, political arrests and continuing imprisonment and other detention; the continuing recruitment and use of child soldiers and the use of landmines; forced labour, including child labour; trafficking in persons; the denial of freedom of assembly, association, expression and movement; wide disrespect for the rule of law; the confiscation of arable land, crops, livestock and other possessions; and the prevailing culture of impunity;”
5. The 2006 United Nations General Assembly resolution also requested the United Nations Secretary General:
“To continue to provide his good offices and to pursue his discussions on the situation of human rights and the restoration of democracy with the Government and the people of Myanmar, including all relevant parties to the national reconciliation process in Myanmar, and to offer technical assistance to the Government in this regard.”
6. The 2007 United Nations General Assembly resolution on Myanmar also stressing the importance of the involvement of all relevant parties;
“Requests the Secretary-General:
(a) To continue to provide his good offices and to pursue his discussions on the situation of human rights and the restoration of democracy with the Government and the people of Myanmar, including all relevant parties to the national reconciliation process in Myanmar, and to offer technical assistance to the Government in this regard;”
7. It also called on the regime to:
“... pursue, through dialogue and peaceful means, the immediate suspension and permanent end of conflict with all ethnic nationalities in Myanmar and to allow the full participation of representatives of all political parties and representatives of ethnic nationalities in an inclusive and credible process of national reconciliation, democratization and the establishment of the rule of law;”
8. In reference to the ‘road map’ of the military dictatorship the 2008 United Nations General Assembly resolution on Myanmar noted:
“The absence of effective and genuine participation of the representatives of the National League for Democracy and other political parties and some ethnic groups in a genuine process of dialogue, national reconciliation and transition to democracy;”
And called on the dictatorship to:
“To permit all political representatives and representatives of ethnic nationalities to participate fully in the political transition process without restrictions and, to that end, to resume without further delay a dialogue with all political actors, including the National League for Democracy and representatives of ethnic nationalities;”
And:
“To pursue, through dialogue and peaceful means, the immediate suspension and permanent end of conflict with all ethnic nationalities in Myanmar and to allow the full participation of representatives of all political parties and representatives of ethnic nationalities in an inclusive and credible process of national reconciliation, democratization and the establishment of the rule of law;”
This resolution also called on the Secretary General to work with all relevant parties:
“Requests the Secretary-General: (a) To continue to provide his good offices and to pursue his discussions on the situation of human rights, the transition to democracy and the national reconciliation process with the Government and the people of Myanmar, including democracy and human rights groups and all relevant parties:”
9. When the General Assembly authorised the work of the UN Special Advisor (A/62/512/Add.1) it set as a target:
“More regular consultations between the Government, the National League for
Democracy and other groups.”
10. One of the key outputs for the Special Advisor was:
“Continued discussions with the Myanmar authorities and other relevant parties on the national reconciliation process.”
Despite this, the Special Advisor failed to meet with senior leaders of the Karen National Union and other genuine organisation representing ethnic people on his most recent to Burma, as he has also failed to do on many previous visits to the region.
11. We do not see how the Special Advisor can fulfil his mandate without speaking to, fully
engaging with, and consulting, all relevant parties. The Karen National Union is a
democratic organisation. We are committed to human rights, democracy and a federal
union of Burma. We stand ready to enter into genuine tri-partite dialogue immediately.
12. In conclusion, we would like to say that the ethnic people must not be sidelined in any future discussions on a national reconciliation process in Burma, and we call on the United Nations Special Advisor, the Secretary General, and other relevant UN bodies and representatives, to start engaging more fully with organizations representing the ethnic nationalities of Burma.
The Executive Committee
Karen National Union
