The United Nations human rights envoy for Burma says he doubts the country will undergo the political reform necessary to achieve democracy. Paulo Sergio Pinheiro said Monday it would be, in his words, a “miracle” if the country´s leaders implement the so-called “road map” to democracy unveiled by Burma´s military government last year. (10-NOV-04)

Mr. Pinheiro recently told the UN General Assembly he has received credible and detailed reports of human rights violations in Burma. But he acknowledged that his assessment was limited because he has been prevented from entering the country since 2003. The Brazilian diplomat has also called on Burma´s military rulers to release Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest.

Of other human rights relevant news coming out of Burma recently, and initially reported by the Norwegian Burma Committee, a member of the Human Rights House in Oslo, www.humanrightshouse.org wishes to report that BBC´s recent story on the closing of Burma´s national intelligence bureau, which was established more than 20 years ago. Initially with wide-ranging powers, the bureau has now been dismantled, according to Burmese state TV.

The military government was quoted as saying the unit was no longer relevant as the country moved towards democracy. Earlier, a Burmese opposition group claimed there had been a purge of senior military intelligence officials in the last couple of days. The unit had been headed by PM Gen Khin Nyunt who was removed on Tuesday, two weeks ago.

Burmese state media said at the time he had retired on health grounds, but officials in Thailand said he had been ousted and was under house arrest. The Democratic Voice of Burma, an opposition radio station based in Norway, said it had learnt of several divisional commanders and captains in military intelligence being sacked or arrested. It was confirmed that one senior figure, Major General Myint Zaw – who had been in charge of border affairs within the powerful office of strategic studies – had been detained.

´Loggerheads´
Analysts say there has been conflict between the military intelligence and regular army for some time. As chief of military intelligence, Khin Nyunt was said to be frequently in disagreement with Burma´s paramount leader Than Shwe, who controls the entire army.

“They have often been at loggerheads,” Aung Zaw, the editor of Irrawaddy, a publication run by Burmese journalists in exile, told BBC News. Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win was quoted by AFP news agency on Friday as telling diplomats that Khin Nyunt had retired for health reasons. But he also said Khin Nyunt had to “bear his share of responsibility” for corruption within military intelligence, AFP quoted a source as saying.

Based on the Norwegian Burma Committee´s newsletter, www.humanrightshouse.org will continue to report on the political and human rights related developments in Burma. Meanwhile, and in between, for further news on Burma, check out www.burma.no. Although the site itself is in Norwegian, the vast majority of links will direct you to English language sites, reports, articles etc.