Ban to Brief UN Security Council on Burma

WASHINGTON — UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will brief the Security Council on Monday on his recent visit to Burma, during which he was not allowed to meet Aung San Suu Kyi, the pro-democracy leader now on trial.

The Security Council meeting comes amidst growing calls from the international community that the 15-member body should take a tougher stand against the authoritarian military government, including imposing an arms embargo.

Supporters of the pro-democracy movement hope that Ban will call for a stronger Security Council role.

"It is time for Ban Ki-moon to ask the UN Security Council to pass a global arms embargo against Burma's military regime while at the same time initiating an inquiry into crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by Than Shwe's regime,” said Aung Din, the executive director of the US Campaign for Burma.

The first meeting of the Security Council after the recent visit by the secretary-general has been preceded by statements by Special Envoy for Burma Ibrahim Gambari, who has called the ongoing trial of Aung San Suu Kyi “unjustified.”

The issue of Suu Kyi’s trail is expected to be brought up by Ban, who after his Burma visit expressed disappointment that the junta denied him permission to meet with the popular Burmese leader.

The Obama Administration, which is currently reviewing its Burma policy, is likely to indicate its new policy after the trial is concluded, a State Department official told The Irrawaddy.

Meanwhile, several members of the US Congress said in a letter to US President Barack Obama that the Security Council should set up a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the Burmese regime’s war crimes and crimes against humanity.

“The regime must be held accountable on behalf of the millions of people of Burma who have no other course for redress,” said the letter.