A/HRC/19/67
75.
During his mission, the Special Rapporteur made a careful assessment of whether
the national human rights commission could play a role in establishing truth, justice and
accountability measures. Considering the commission’s lack of independence and its
limited capacity, the Special Rapporteur deems it crucially important that the
Government consult stakeholders, including victims of human rights violations, on how
and when to establish truth, justice and accountability measures. He also believes that it
is vitally important that Myanmar learn lessons from other countries that have experience
in these processes. He also recommends that Myanmar consider engaging with the new
Special Rapporteur on promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of nonrecurrence with regard to serious crimes and gross violations of human rights in the future.
76.
The Special Rapporteur carefully listened to many views regarding the importance
of forgiveness and moving forward. He stresses, however, that moving forward or
forgiveness cannot ignore or whitewash the past. He therefore believes that facing up to
the country’s recent history and acknowledging the violations that people have suffered
will be necessary to ensure national reconciliation and to prevent future violations. The
Government should therefore demonstrate its willingness and commitment to address the
issue of truth, justice and accountability and take the necessary measures for the
investigation of human rights violations, conducted in an independent, impartial and
credible manner.
VI. International cooperation
77.
The Special Adviser to the Secretary-General for Myanmar has continued the
Secretary-General’s good offices dialogue through his visits from 31 October to 4
November 2011 and from 12 to 17 February 2012. The Special Rapporteur remains in close
contact with the Special Adviser.
78.
The Special Rapporteur welcomes the increased engagement of Myanmar with
international human rights mechanisms. The Government participated actively in the
universal periodic review process and accepted some 74 recommendations. Myanmar
acceded to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of
children, child prostitution and child pornography, and the Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities. The Committee on the Rights of the Child considered the State’s
third and fourth periodic report on 19 January.
79.
A conference on the theme “Development policy options with special reference to
education and health in Myanmar” was held from 13 to 15 February 2012. Organized
jointly by the Government and the United Nations country team, in collaboration with the
Myanmar Development Resource Institute and with the support of the European Union, the
conference produced specific policy suggestions for accelerating growth, promoting
inclusive human development and improving health and education.
80.
ILO continues to work with the Government on issues of forced labour, including
underage recruitment into the military and forced or bonded child labour. This is done in
context of the supplementary understanding complaints mechanism agreed between the
Government and ILO under which complaints continue to be received. Agreement in
principle was recently reached on the development of a full joint strategy for the
elimination of all forms of forced labour by 2015.
81.
The Special Rapporteur was informed that the plan of action to prevent the underage
recruitment of children into the armed forces was almost ready for signing and hopes this
can be concluded without delay and implemented with international support. During his
meeting with the Minister for Defence, the Special Rapporteur pressed for access by the
task force to children associated with non-State armed groups and called for the removal of
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