Gambari Arrives in Burma

The United Nations Special Envoy to Burma Ibrahim Gambari arrived in Rangoon on Monday for a five-day trip to Burma.

Aye Win, an information officer at the UN Information Center in Rangoon, told The Irrawaddy that UN officials in Burma picked Gambari up in the morning at the international airport, and he was accompanied with another UN official.

United Nations special envoy to Burma Ibrahim Gambari speaks during an interview on February at the United Nations information center in Tokyo. (Photo: Reuters)

Observers say Gambari is expected to meet with government officials and opposition members including Burma’s democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi during his fourth trip to the military-ruled country.

Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was allowed to meet again with her lawyer, Kyi Win, at her home over the weekend. Her family doctor, Tin Myo Win, was also permitted to visit Suu Kyi forth first time in more than five months. Suu Kyi’s release is one of the top priorities of the UN special envoy although there is little likelihood of success, say observers.

“Mr Gambari must raise the issue [of Suu Kyi’s release] one again with authorities,” said Larry Jagan, a British journalist in Thailand who specializes on Burma.

Win Naing, a spokesperson of the main opposition National League for Democracy, said the party hoped to meet with Gambari, but he added the UN special envoy can meet with opposition groups with the junta’s permission.

“Even for a UN official, his every movement in the country depends on the military regime. The current situation [in Burma] is like this,” he said.

Jagan said he more was skeptical that the UN special envoy would succeed during his latest mission.

“I am afraid that I don’t expect very much from the trip. I think the most we can expect is [Gambari’s] meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi,” he said.

He added that Gambari is not likely to change the regime’s plans regarding the process leading up to the 2010 election. Many UN members have been critical of the junta’s constitutional referendum process and its failure to allow opposition groups to fully participate in the process.

Jagan said he didn’t believe the regime would give Gambari any positive results. ”They are looking for endorsement of their roadmap and referendum,” he said.

Aye Thar Aung, an Arakanese leader in Burma, said he didn’t expect much progress from the UN envoy’s trip because in the past his visits have led to little improvement in Burma’s internal politics.

“The UN has not been able to resolve issues in the past,” he said. 

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is expected to visit Burma again in December. He last visited Burma in late May in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis.