UN HUMAN RIGHTS ENVOY TO VISIT MYANMAR NEXT WEEK

Jakarta Forum - BANGKOK, UN human rights envoy Tomas Ojea Quintana will begin a five-day visit to Myanmar next week, a UN official said Thursday, as the military junta prepares to hold national polls this year.

"He will be there 15th to 19th February. It`s his regular programme, he`s supposed to visit the country two times a year," said Human Rights officer Hannah Wu.

A Myanmar official confirmed the visit and said Quintana would visit Sittwe in western Rakhine state, close to the country`s border with Bangladesh.

This will be the envoy`s third visit to the country after a previous mission last year was postponed, and comes a day after the regime jailed an American human rights activist despite demands from the United States for his release.

On Wednesday a court in the military-ruled nation sentenced Kyaw Zaw Lwin, to three years in prison on fraud and forgery charges. United Nations special rapporteur Quintana expects to meet with Myanmar foreign minister Nyan Win but not with junta head, Senior General Than Shwe during this visit, said Wu. She said he will report back from his visit to the Human Rights council and then to the General Assembly. Following Kyaw Zaw Lwin`s sentencing Wednesday, one lawmaker called for consideration of tougher sanctions against the Southeast Asian regime.

It came as the US engages in a cautious dialogue on improving relations and as the military government plans to hold polls in late 2010.

Democracy advocates and Western governments fear that the elections will lack credibility as opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi remains under house arrest and the courts continue to lock up dissidents opposing the regime.

Source: Antara News