The Myanmar Times :
The Thai-led Rakhine advisory panel on Thursday submitted to State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi its final report consisting of 12 points to boost the government’s implementation of the recommendations of the Kofi Annan-led commission on northern Rakhine.
U Win Mara, a member of advisory board, said in a press conference that the most important
recommendations the panel made, which the government already implemented was the establishment of an independent inquiry commission on accusations of human rights abuses in northern Rakhine. “I think recommendation to form inquiry commission is the most important (achievement),” he said. The international community has been pressuring Myanmar to form a fact-finding body to investigate the alleged abuses perpetrated by the government security forces, but the government has resisted the call. “The State is not willing to accept international pressures.
However, I assume that the two points submitted by us when finding a situation is acceptable to the majority,” said U Win Mara. The two points the panel successfully negotiated are: to form an independent inquiry commission which will be considered as a national initiative and needs to be fair in the conduct of its investigation . “I would like to say this is also important. Our suggestions were accepted so the inquiry commission was established,” said U Win Mara.
He said that the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Development Programme and the Myanmar government was also a testament that their recommendations were implemented by the government. “We urged to sign for a MoU as soon as possible and the government also accepted. So MoU was signed,” said U Win Mara. Other recommendations of the body include allowing reporters to gather information in conflict areas and promote healthcare. Surakiart Sathirathai, a former Thai deputy prime minister and head of the panel, expressed satisfaction that their recommendations were well-received by the government.
The panel was established in December last year to provide advice to the committee tasked with implementing the recommendations of the Kofi Annan-led commission aimed at providing sustainable solutions to the northern Rakhine problem.
The Thai-led Rakhine advisory panel on Thursday submitted to State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi its final report consisting of 12 points to boost the government’s implementation of the recommendations of the Kofi Annan-led commission on northern Rakhine.
U Win Mara, a member of advisory board, said in a press conference that the most important
recommendations the panel made, which the government already implemented was the establishment of an independent inquiry commission on accusations of human rights abuses in northern Rakhine. “I think recommendation to form inquiry commission is the most important (achievement),” he said. The international community has been pressuring Myanmar to form a fact-finding body to investigate the alleged abuses perpetrated by the government security forces, but the government has resisted the call. “The State is not willing to accept international pressures.
However, I assume that the two points submitted by us when finding a situation is acceptable to the majority,” said U Win Mara. The two points the panel successfully negotiated are: to form an independent inquiry commission which will be considered as a national initiative and needs to be fair in the conduct of its investigation . “I would like to say this is also important. Our suggestions were accepted so the inquiry commission was established,” said U Win Mara.
He said that the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Development Programme and the Myanmar government was also a testament that their recommendations were implemented by the government. “We urged to sign for a MoU as soon as possible and the government also accepted. So MoU was signed,” said U Win Mara. Other recommendations of the body include allowing reporters to gather information in conflict areas and promote healthcare. Surakiart Sathirathai, a former Thai deputy prime minister and head of the panel, expressed satisfaction that their recommendations were well-received by the government.
The panel was established in December last year to provide advice to the committee tasked with implementing the recommendations of the Kofi Annan-led commission aimed at providing sustainable solutions to the northern Rakhine problem.
