BURMA: UN EXPERT URGES RECONCILIATION, CURBING SPREAD OF RELIGIOUS HATRED

From: UNNews <UNNews@un.org>
Date: 22 Aug 2013 14:00:00 -0400
Subject: MYANMAR: UN EXPERT URGES RECONCILIATION, CURBING SPREAD OF
RELIGIOUS HATRED
To: news11@ny-mail-p-lb-028.ptc.un.org

MYANMAR: UN EXPERT URGES RECONCILIATION, CURBING SPREAD OF RELIGIOUS
HATREDNew York, Aug 22 2013 2:00PMA United Nations independent expert
today urged greater inclusion of women and other minority voices in
the peace efforts in Myanmar and called on the Government to fulfil
its obligations in stemming the spread of incitement of religious
hatred directed against minority communities.

Wrapping up his eighth visit to the South-East Asian country, the
Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, Tomás
Ojea Quintana, <"http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=13650&LangID=E">stressed
that Myanmar had made positive improvement in its human rights
situation, and has the potential for further progress

But at the same time, he stressed that the historical need of
reconciliation with ethnic groups and the spread of incitement of
hatred against religious minority groups are among remaining critical
challenges.

"The initiatives being implemented at the highest levels by the
Government to stop more fighting in the country needs to be
accompanied, in parallel, with measures at the grassroots level to
also engage local and rural communities in the process of
peacebuilding and reconciliation," Mr. Ojea Quintana said.

He commended the Government for increasing space for civil society,
including the recent commemoration of the 1988 pro-democracy protests
but urged more space to be opened up for "all voices to be heard" so
communities have trust and belief that this process will lead to a
better future.

"The past is unavoidable and will always come up in a country that has
suffered decades of conflict and oppression," he stressed. "The
Government, together with civil society has to build on this progress
towards addressing the past through mechanisms to establish the truth
and bring reconciliation."

Mr. Ojea Quintana also called on the Government to stem the spread of
incitement of religious hatred directed against minority communities
through strong public messaging, the establishment of the rule of law,
and policing in line with international human rights standards.

He expressed concern over the continued separation and segregation of
communities in Rakhine State adding that it was becoming increasingly
permanent and impacting negatively on the Muslim community.

Any attempt by the Special Rapporteur to visit Meiktila, where
violence in March targeting the Muslim community left over 10,000
people displaced and led to 43 people killed, was cut short after this
entourage was roughed up by demonstrators.

"Around 200 people descended over my car. They punched and kicked the
windows and doors and [were] shouting abuses," Mr. Ojea Quintana told
UN Radio. "My concern is that the police nearby, stood by without
really stopping these people and intervening. The incident which took
place in Meiktila was very serious, but I already discussed [it] with
the Government and I hope in the near future this will not happen
again."

During his 10-day visit, the Special Rapporteur also visited Chin
State, Kachin State and Shan State, and Meikhtila in Mandalay Region.

He also noted that Myanmar still has prisoners of conscience, some of
whom he met during his visit to the Insein prison in Yangon, and other
detention centres in Rakhine State.

"They should be released immediately and unconditionally," Mr. Ojea
Quintana reiterated.

President Thein Sein granted amnesty in July to 73 prisoners of
conscience, as part of a series of reforms initiated two years ago
following the establishment of a new Government. He has announced that
by the end of the year all remaining political prisoners will have
been released.

Special rapporteurs are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights
Council to examine and report back on a country situation or a
specific human rights theme. The positions are honorary and the
experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.Aug 22 2013
2:00PM
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