Kyaw Win, official at the Burmese embassy in Washington, D.C.Reports

Kyaw Win, official at the Burmese embassy in Washington, D.C.Reports
Jul 13 2011
Tags: burmese human rights
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Senior diplomat writes to Secretary of State Clinton, saying he has lost hope that his country's leaders will effect democratic change.Kyaw Win, the second-ranking official at the Burmese embassy in Washington, writes in a July 4 letter to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, his efforts to push for reform have been rejected and he fears prosecution if he returns to Burma. United States to maintain targeted economic sanctions against the Burmese leaders and their businessmen allies, and to press for an international council of inquiry to investigate Burmese human rights abuses.The diplomat confirmed his resignation and request of asylum in the United States by telephone to a reporter for VOA's Burmese service.

Futher adds,Burma's military would ease its grip on power and move Burma to greater political pluralism. But, he says, the military has retained its hold on uncontested power in spite of elections last year that brought in a nominally civilian leadership.

He says that in reality, senior military officials are seeking "to stamp out the voices of those seeking democracy, human rights and individual liberties." He says war against the nation's ethnic minorities is "imminent" and threats against pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi must be taken seriously.

Kyaw Win says the United States has played a special role in standing up for freedom and democracy in his country. He urges Secretary Clinton to facilitate the creation of an international body to investigate human rights abuses perpetrated in Burma's conflict zones by the military and other armed groups.Media-agenies-VOA