Toothless UN Wastes 3 Days in Burma

By Stanford Matthews
Blog @ MoreWhat.com

There are numerous methods of communication these days. Borrowing
the common terms 'instant' and 'messaging' demonstrate in words what is
possible. For business, government and consumer use each form of
communication matches up with customary standards or protocols for
formal and informal exchanges of dialogue or data transmission.

Does it occur to anyone else that the passing of two or three days
since a representative from the United Nations arrived in Burma/Myanmar
is more than enough time to produce a 'sit down' between the rep and
General Than Shwe? And if the UN rep is merely
waiting for this General to agree to a discussion then it proves again
nothing about the United Nations is united or serving a useful
purpose. This would be the point in an interview where a
spokesperson for the UN would tell the interviewer there are
established guidelines for attempts at intervention. God knows
the UN spends nearly all of its time and other people's money issuing
statements and generating documents of limited value like guidelines.

As far as a chronology of the UN 'senior envoy' and his exploits in
Burma over the last three days, reports from the VOA are a handy
reference.

UN Envoy in Burma to Try to Mediate Burmese Protests
By Luis Ramirez
Bangkok
29 September 2007

Ramirez report (mp3) - Download 697k
Listen to Ramirez report (mp3)

United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari has arrived in Burma on
what the U.N. secretary-general calls an "urgent mission" to broker
negotiations between the military government and the pro-democracy
opposition. VOA's Luis Ramirez at our Southeast Asia bureau in Bangkok
reports the visit comes as the army is tightening its control over
demonstrations in the main city, Rangoon.

UN Envoy Meets With Aung San Suu Kyi and Military Junta
By Nancy-Amelia Collins
Jakarta
30 September 2007

Collins report (mp3) - download 485K
Listen to Collins report (mp3)

The United Nation's special envoy to Burma has met with detained
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and with members of Burma's ruling
military junta to try to stop the its violent crackdown on
pro-democracy demonstrators. Ibrahim Gambari has extended his
mission in Burma - canceling a planned flight to Singapore and vowing
to meet with Burma's top junta leader, Senior General Than Shwe. VOA's
Nancy-Amelia Collins in Jakarta has more.

UN Envoy Remains in Burma, Pledges to Meet With Top Junta Leader
By VOA News
01 October 2007

A senior United Nations envoy has extended his mission in Burma in the
hopes of meeting the country's top military leader, Senior General Than
Shwe.

Officials say Ibrahim Gambari has returned to Burma's new capital,
Naypyidaw, for the second time in three days to try to ease a deadly
military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.

This is exactly the type of incident that requires quick action to stop
senseless killing in a country that has lost its ability to maintain
any civil or military order without violence spiraling out of
control. How many times must this scenario be repeated before
members of the United Nations step up and proclaim a set of
international rules to end a crisis like this shortly after it
begins? Without any improvements in the process, each time an
incident occurs its outcome will be no better than any previous
one. There is no need for an organization that can do no better
than this.