5th Special Session of the Human Rights Concil (Human Rights situation in Myanmar)

Statement by Ambassador Ichiro FUJISAKI
5th Special Session of the Human Rights Council
(The Human Rights Situation in Myanmar)

Geneva, 2 October 2007
Permanent Mission of Japan in Geneva

Thank you Mr. President,

The Government of Japan, as a friend of Myanmar, has been calling on the Government of Myanmar to exercise restraint and to refrain from use of oppressive force on the protests in Myanmar. It is extremely regrettable that despite such demarché the Government of Myanmar cracked down on the peaceful demonstrations using the force, which brought about casualties, including the death of a Japanese citizen. The Government of Japan urges the Government of Myanmar to investigate the case and bring to justice the perpetrators.

What has happened and is happening is appalling and not permissible. We strongly call upon the Government of Myanmar not to exercise the use of oppressive force. We also strongly call upon the Government of Myanmar to immediately release all those arrested and detained as a result of the recent peaceful demonstrations.

The Government of Japan dispatched a Deputy Foreign Minister to Myanmar yesterday, and urged the Government of Myanmar to exercise self restraint on the demonstrations, release all those arrested and detained, have dialogue with the dissidents, and release Madame Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Government of Japan strongly recommends that the Government of Myanmar promote democratization, taking into account the wishes expressed in the protests by the people of Myanmar, engage in national dialogue with a view to achieving national reconciliation, and hence fundamentally resolve the situation.

We note that the Government of Myanmar has accepted the visit by Special Envoy of United Nations Secretary General, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, and we strongly call on the Government of Myanmar to continue to cooperate with the United Nations. We also strongly call upon the Government of Myanmar to accept the visit by the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar, Professor. Paulo Sergio Pinheiro as soon as possible.

We are co-sponsoring a resolution to address the situation. We hope that we will be able to adopt it as soon as possible on a consensus basis so that the Human Rights Council can speak in one voice to the people of Myanmar, to the Government of Myanmar and to the rest of the world.

Especially, we have to remember that people of Myanmar is gazing on us with hope and expectation that the Human Rights Council can act on behalf of them. We cannot and must not betray them.

Lastly, as a friend of Myanmar, I am obliged to say today’s Myanmar’s statement was not convincing enough and was disappointing. We sincerely hope that the Government of Myanmar carefully and ardently listens to the call of international society.