Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton signaled the United States may shift its policy toward Myanmar, saying economic sanctions against the junta aren't working.
Clinton, speaking at a news conference Wednesday in Jakarta, said Obama administration officials are looking "at possible ideas" as part of a major review of the U.S. policy toward the country formerly known as Burma, The Washington Post reported.
"Clearly the path we have taken in imposing sanctions hasn't influenced the Burmese junta," Clinton said, noting that neighboring countries' efforts of "reaching out and trying to engage them has not influenced them either."
While Clinton didn't reveal the direction of the policy review, she described "the unfortunate path" taken by the military government, leaving it "impervious to influence from anyone."
Myanmar is considered as one of the world's most oppressive nations. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has been held in confinement repeatedly since her political party, National League for Democracy, won a landslide electoral victory in 1990 that the military junta refused to accept.
Clinton's visit to Indonesia is the second leg of her first diplomatic trip. She visited Japan, and will visit China and South Korea after leaving Indonesia.
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HUMAN RIGHTS ENVOY IN REGIME NAPYIDAW
United Nations human rights envoy, Tomas Ojea Quintana, who travelled to Naypyitaw, Burma's new capital, on Wednesday met several Junta officials including the Chief Justice.
An official at the Chief Justice's office said the meeting was on for about an hour from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. But, the official declined to give further details on the meeting.
According to the UN office in Rangoon, Quintana also met Burma's Attorney General, Minister for Labour, Aung Kyi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Nyan Win, Minister for Home Affairs and the Chairman of the Civil Service Selection and Training Board, Kyaw Thu, who is also the Chairman of the Tripartite Core Group (TCG).
The UN envoy, during an earlier visit to Burma in August 2008, had advised the military regime to review domestic laws that limit the fundamental rights of the people and make changes in the judiciary so that it is fully independent.
However, Nyan Win, the spokesperson of National League for Democracy said the lack of rule of law in Burma, was the biggest hindrance to the establishment of any system.
"We believe that no system can be successful unless there is a rule of law. And only when there is an independent judiciary and proper rule of law in Burma, can any system be successful," Nyan Win, who is a lawyer by profession, told Mizzima.
Meanwhile, Tate Naing, the General Secretary of Thailand-based 'Association Assistance for Political Prisoners-Burma' (AAPPB), said between the two visits of Quintana to Burma, the ruling junta had committed a lot of human rights violations.
The UN envoy, however, did not meet members of the Karen National Union (KNU), an armed rebel group that has waged war for self-determination for 60 years. Both the KNU/KNLA Peace Council and DKBA have defected from the main KNU.
Pado David Tharkapaw, KNU's Vice-Chairman, during an interview with a exile media, said it was impossible for Quintana to get the true situation and complete information by meeting only these splinter groups and without meeting the KNU.
Similarly, NLD spokesperson Nyan Win also said Quintana's mission would be incomplete unless he meets all political parties and organizations during his visit.
He said the NLD so far had not received any notice for a meeting with Quintana, who according to the UN will wind-up his six-day visit on Thursday.
Sources said, Quintana had put forward a request to visit Kachin and Arakan States, but it is still unclear whether his requests have been granted or not.
According to sources, Quintana, on Thursday will hold a press conference at Mingaladon Airport, before leaving the military junta-ruled country.
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