Statement by

Ambassador U Mya Than,

Leader of the Myanmar Observer Delegation

on submission of the report by Mr. Rajsoomer Lallah

(Agenda Item 9)

Mr. Chairman,

I am very much delighted to see you, a distinguished diplomat of a friendly neighbouring country Nepal, presiding over the 56th Session of the Commission on Human Rights. You have already demonstrated your diplomatic skills and expertise in this field in the conduct of the proceedings of the Commission. We feel assured of a successful conclusion of this session of the Commission under your able leadership. Our tribute also goes to the other members of the Bureau.

Concerning Mr. Lallah's report contained in document E/CN.4/2000/38 of 24 January 2000, we regret to say that this year's report of Mr. Lallah is, once again, a litany of false statements, based on unsubstantiated allegations by anti-Myanmar Government elements and insurgents, and false conclusions derived therefrom, with the exception of his reference to the cooperation between Myanmar and the ICRC.

My responses to some points in Mr. Lallah's report and to the allegations in the statements by some representatives are as follows:-

• Mr. Lallah refers to the incidents of hunger and food scarcity in Kayin, Kayini and Shan States, and the Delta region of Myanmar. It is well-known that, far from having a shortage of food, Myanmar has been a traditional exporter of rice. Myanmar is exporting rice, ranging from hundreds of thousands of tons to one million tons per year. In fact, countries in South-East Asia are looking upon Myanmar as a potential major source of food security in the region.

• Mr. Lallah characterizes the present economic situation in Myanmar as abject poverty". The statistics, published in the annual report "World Economic Outlook" of the International Monetary Fund (October 1999), shows that Myanmar registered a GDP growth rate of 5.9% in 1993, 6.8% in 1994, 7.2% in 1995, 7.0% in 1996,1997 and 1998 (P.177). These figures give the lie to the Special Rapporteur's conclusion concerning the economic situation in Myanmar.

• As regards the observance by Myanmar of the ILO Forced Labour Convention (No.29), Mr. Lallah's portrayal of the situation in Myanmar is totally negative. The practice of the use of forced labour is non-existent in Myanmar. Such malpractices are not allowed; nor condoned in our country.

• Furthermore, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued Order No.1/99 on 14 May 1999 suspending the relevant provisions of the Village Act and Towns Act of 1907 in order to bring them into line with Convention 29 and the changing conditions in our country. The Myanmar authorities have also taken other implementation measures to ensure that such malpractices do not and will not occur in our land.

• In this context, Mr. Lallah fails to mention the positive gesture of the Myanmar Government in the form of an invitation to the ILO Director-General to send a Technical Team to Myanmar to discuss matters of mutual interest, which is indeed reflected in the resolution on Myanmar adopted in the Third Committee at the fifty-fourth session of the United Nations General Assembly

• Contrary to Mr. Lallah's reference to restrictions on freedom of assembly and movement, mass meetings are taking place in Myanmar, at which citizens express their disillusionment with the NLD and politicians and their voluntary withdrawals from membership of the NLD.

• Concerning the allegations of maltreatment of nationals on religious ground by Mr. Lallah and one or two representatives, I have this to say:

• As regard religious tolerance, Myanmar has been praised by foreigners, including the Independent Expert of the Commission on Human Rights Madame Ogata who paid a visit to Myanmar in that capacity in 1990. Foreigners visiting Myanmar can see for themselves the real situation prevailing in the country. Evidence of religious tolerance is not only real but visible. Right in the centre of the capital Yangon, there exist in the vicinity of the City Hall within sight of each other four religious edifices representing four major religions of the world -- a Buddhist pagoda (Sule Pagoda), a Muslim mosque, a Christian cathedral and a Hindu temple.

• Concerning Mr. Lallah's reference to incidents of violence against women in Myanmar, it is a well-established fact that, far from being subjected to violence, the Myanmar women are among the privileged women who enjoy the highest status in the world. In some sectors of employment such as the teaching profession, women even outnumber men. In 1996-97, for instance, female teachers at the primary and secondary levels in Myanmar were 79 per cent and 75 per cent, respectively, of the total teaching staff in the whole country.

• Mr. Lallah states that universities in Myanmar are still closed. The reality is that universities are open, and students are pursuing their studies peacefully at universities in our country. Although fresh matriculates have to wait a little while, they also are attending university classes, according to their respective academic schedules.

Mr. Chairman,

May I now turn to the omissions by Mr. Lallah in his report with regard to the signal concrete achievements by the Myanmar Government.

An objective report on the situation of human rights in a country should indeed be a balanced one. We regret to say that lack of balance has been a major flaw of Mr. Lallah's reports on the situation of human rights in Myanmar. The following are some of the conspicuous omissions in Mr. Lallah's report this year.

• The only positive aspect, touched upon by Mr. Lallah in his report is concerning the cooperation between the Myanmar Government and the ICRC. Even this minimum reference to a positive aspect has been done grudgingly. This is briefly alluded to only in the conclusion but not elaborated in the main body of his report.

• He fails to mention the concrete achievements, accomplished by the State Peace and Development Council since its advent in 1988, such as the following:

   

  • the prevalence of peace and tranquillity throughout the country: as the Myanmar people have never experienced before in our post-independence history.

   

  • the process of the National Convention: to lay down fundamental principles for framing a strong and enduring new state constitution. 

    Much progress has been achieved by the National Convention, as it has already completed draft texts on 15 chapters and 104 principles. It is now working on the important and delicate question of power-sharing.

     

  • an unprecedented degree of national unity and reconsolidation, as 17 armed groups and many smaller groups except one faction, have returned to the legal fold and joined hands with the Government. Only one faction of the KNU remains outside the legal fold.

   

  • the significant economic progress~ and the social and cultural uplift and the improvement of the living standards of the people. Myanmar economy has registered a healthy average growth rate of around 6.6 per cent in current five-year plan for 1996-1997 to 2000-2001.

   

  • the infrastructure-building on an unprecedented scale throughout the whole country. The Government has completed to-date 101 bridges including 5 Ayeyarwady River-crossing bridges, 104 dams, 43 hospitals, 79 dispensaries, 350 primary schools, 46 secondary schools, 11 high schools and 3700 miles of road, to mention just a few statistics.

   

  • the border area development on an unprecedented scale for national races living in frontier areas. The Government has spent 17000 million kyats on border area development from 1988 to 1999.

Mr. Chairman,

Through these concrete achievements, the Government has fulfilled the basic needs of the Myanmar people -- food, clothing and shelter. It has also much improved the well-being and political, --economic and social life of the entire nation. The Government is doing its utmost to further enhance conditions in the country in all aspects. By so doing, the Government is-indeed fulfilling the right to development of the Myanmar people and is also advancing other human rights.

Mr. Chairman,

Protection and promotion of human rights is the noble goal we all share and support. Nations vary. They have different levels of political and economic development and different geopolitical, historical, social and cultural characteristics. It is only natural and logical and it is indeed necessary that each country will take these factors into account, will decide on its own upon the means to achieve that aspiration, and will take its own path to this goal.

Mr. Chairman,

The Myanmar Government and the people are presently laying down a firm foundation to establish a modern, peaceful and developed democratic state. On our path to this goal, we are making good progress.

I thank you, Mr. Chairman.