Is Burma’s HR Commission just another empty promise?

By Zin Linn>>

The Burmese government media announced Tuesday it has established a National Human Rights Commission to look into human rights violations

The New Light of Burma reported on September 5 that the 15-member commission is made up of diplomats, academics and former government officials, all of them are retired.

The committee was formed following the United Nations Human Rights Envoy to Burma Tomas Ojea Quintana’s visit last month. However, the government said it had already set up the commission before Quintana arrived. Quintana was allowed for the first time to visit prisoners at the notorious Insein Prison and meet with Burma’s Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

In an interview with VOA’s Burmese service, Quintana said he welcomes the decision to establish the commission, but he also said that the commission must have independence and neutrality.

After a four-day tour of the country, Quintana said in a statement dated August 25 that he welcomed a number of initiatives by the nominally civilian government to improve a human rights record that Western leaders have strongly criticized and the United States has called abysmal.

He also mentioned ongoing charges of torture and other human rights abuses during his official interviews, as well as the use of prisoners as porters for the armed-forces, and the transfer of prisoners to far-flung prisons where their families cannot visit due to difficult communication.

Human rights groups have repeatedly condemned the situation in Burma, which still holds more than 2,000 political prisoners. They say they will wait and see if the commission is effective.

The State-media said the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission was formed with the following persons with a view to promoting and safeguarding fundamental rights of citizens described in the constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. The commission members are as follow:

(1) U Win Mra, Ambassador (Retd),Chairman; (2) U Kyaw Tint Swe, Ambassador (Retd), Vice-Chairman; (3) U Tun Aung Chein, Professor (Retd), Department of History, Member; (4) U Hla Myint, Ambassador (Retd), Member; (5) U Than Swe, Director-General (Retd), Forest Department, Member; (6) Dr Nyan Zaw,State Medical Officer (Retd), Member; (7) Dr Daw Than New, Professor (Retd), Department of Law, Member; (8) Daw Saw Khin Kyi, Professor (Retd), Department of International Relations, Member; (9) U Tin Nyo, Director-General (Retd), Basic Education Department, Member; (10) U Kwa Htiyo, State Law Officer (Retd), Member; (11) U Khin Maung Lay, Director (Retd), Labour Department, Member; (12) U Lapai Zawgun, Minister Counsellor (Retd), Member; (13) U Nyunt Swe, Deputy Director-General (Retd), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Member; (14) Daw San San, Director (Retd), Labour Department,Member; (15) U Sit Myaing, Director-General (Retd), Social Welfare Department, Secretary.

Burma government representatives continue to deny any human rights violations, in direct contradiction to the facts on the ground. So, there remains serious doubt whether the newly formed government commission will deal with the facts and take action against human rights abuses in line with the laws.