UN envoy makes first visit to Myanmar

UN envoy makes first visit to Myanmar
Photo-AFP
Photo-AFP
Published 17 August 2022
AFP for The Jakarta Post from ANN

The UN's new special envoy for Myanmar began her first trip to the country Tuesday, a day after a court sentenced Aung San Suu Kyi to six more years in jail for corruption. 

Noeleen Heyzer "will focus on addressing the deteriorating situation and immediate concerns as well as other priority areas of her mandate," according to a UN statement issued late Monday. It did not give details on who she would meet among the top leadership of the State Administration Council (SAC) or whether she would seek to meet Suu Kyi. 

On Monday Suu Kyi received another prison term in a secretive court, taking her total jail time to 17 years. Heyzer is expected to hold meetings in the military-built capital Naypyidaw, according to a diplomatic source who did not give further details. Diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis led by the UN and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional bloc have made little headway, with the generals refusing to engage with opponents.

 Last month the SAC stoked renewed international condemnation when it executed Phyo Zeya Thaw, a former lawmaker from Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party, for offences under anti-terrorism laws. In response, the UN Security Council -- including Russia and China -- issued a rare condemnation of the SAC.  

  Singaporean sociologist Heyzer was appointed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last year, replacing Swiss diplomat Christine Schraner Burgener. Schraner Burgener had called for the UN to take "very strong measures" against the military and had been the target of regular broadsides in Myanmar's state-backed media. 

Since the military takeover, the Swiss diplomat had been blocked by the generals from visiting the country, where she had hoped to meet with Suu Kyi. In December state media reported the SAC had closed her office in the country "since the activities of Ms Christine Schraner Burgener have concluded". It has not yet said whether it will allow Heyzer to open an office.