Verdensledere, erhvervs- og mediefolk fra 55 lande mødes i Burma til World Economic Forum. Aktivister advarer det internatioanle samfund om ikke at glemme menneskerettigheder. Og det er der god grund til.
BANGKOK, 6 June 2013 (IRIN): Burma faces a multitude of challenges, including ongoing instances of torture, arbitrary arrest and detention, and hundreds of political prisoners still languishing in prison, according to the US State Department’s annual Human Rights Report for 2012.
“The human rights situation on the ground for most people in [Burma] remains unchanged and will only improve if human rights remain clearly on the agenda,” Matilda Bogner, regional representative for the UN Office for the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) in Southeast Asia, told IRIN in Bangkok.
Over the past two years, the Burmese government has been lauded (lovprise, red.) for its political and economic reforms, resulting in the lifting of Western sanctions and an increase in foreign investment.
However, little has been done to address the widespread human rights abuses which had prompted the USA and European Union (EU) to freeze economic cooperation from 1962 to 2011, she said.
For Burmese President Thein Sein who came to power two years ago, the three-day event (5-7 June) in Naypyidaw, the country’s new political capital, is an opportunity to showcase his country’s recent economic and political reforms.
Once one of the wealthiest countries in the region – with an abundance of minerals, teak, rice, oil and gas – many investors and governments, are jostling to position themselves in the country, seen by many as Asia’s last great investment opportunity, say experts.
The EU lifted the last of its trade, economic and individual sanctions on Myanmar in April 2013, while the USA has successively alleviated restrictions on investment and banking, currently allowing US companies to invest in and conduct business with four of the country’s 12 banks, according to local Burmese news sources.
Læs mere her: http://www.irinnews.org/report/98178/analysis-keeping-human-rights-on-the-agenda-in-myanmar
Begynd fra: Caution
