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UN condemns systematic rights abuse in Myanmar

The UN Human Rights Council on Friday condemned continuing systematic rights abuse by Myanmar's military rulers, including the high number of political prisoners.

The 47-nation body also passed a separate resolution extending the mandate of the UN investigator of Myanmar for another year.

The council expressed its "deep concern at the situation of human rights in Myanmar, including the violent repression of the peaceful demonstrations of September 2007, and the failure of the government to investigate and bring to justice the perpetrators of these violations."

Pakistan said the resolution leaned toward political aspects of the country's rule rather than human rights issues. India said the resolution was discriminatory and China said the international community should acknowledge positive steps taken by Myanmar to improve the rights situation.

But Slovenia, which put forward the proposal, said: "The European Union particularly deplores the continuous imposition of restrictions on the freedom of movement, expression, assembly and association; the prevailing culture of impunity, ongoing summary executions, torture and forced labor practices, recruitment of child soldiers and sexual violence."

It said Myanmar's military junta failed to live up to the council's demand, made in an emergency meeting in October, that the violent crackdown be investigated and political prisoners be released.
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