The United Nations agreed yesterday to extend the role of a human rights monitor for Myanmar for another year and called on the new government to strengthen rule of law and ensure better protections for minority groups.
The special rapporteur’s mandate, which was reviewed at the 31st Human Rights Council last week, was particularly contentious this year as she will be reporting on the National League for Democracy-backed government, which will take office on April 1.
Special rapporteurs are independent experts appointed to investigate, monitor and report on human rights abuses. The outgoing government has argued vociferously that there is no need for such oversight and lobbied hard for the position to be abolished.
Some rights groups feared that in the wake of last November’s peaceful parliamentary election which the NLD won in a landslide, the special rapporteur for Myanmar would be given a downgraded role restricted to providing technical assistance. (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
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