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THE BURMA FUND UNITED NATIONS OFFICE

Is pleased to invite you to

Burma 2010: between Hope and Reality. The Elections and the Violations of Human Rights

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2010

12.30 PM -14.45 PM

THE CHURCH CENTER

777 UNITED NATIONS PLAZA, 2TH FLOOR

(CORNER OF 44TH STREET & FIRST AVENUE)

A few weeks before Burma’s November 7 elections, the General Assembly is about to start the negotiations on a resolution on the situation of human rights in Burma. The first elections for twenty years have raised many hopes about a possibility for a change in the country. In reality, human rights and freedoms are still largely repressed and the process so far has shown that these elections will rather cement the authoritarian rule.

The Burma Fund will bring together representatives from the democracy movement, international human rights organizations, and academic institutions, to discuss how the United Nations and the regional actors should respond to the elections in order to support genuine democratic reform in Burma. The first panel will talk about the reality of the electoral process, the tensions in the ethnic areas, and the feelings within the civil society. The second panel will discuss strategies to address the persistent and systematic violations of human rights and widespread impunity for systematic grave crimes. The Harvard International Human Rights Clinic report Crimes in Burma, entirely based on UN documents, has assessed that serious crimes committed in Burma amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes. Member states should support a commission of inquiry into these serious violations, which has been also recommended by the UN Special Rapporteur Prof. Tomas Ojea Quintana.

12.30 pm, FIRST PANEL “ELECTIONS AND CIVIL SOCIETY: A VIEW FROM THE GROUND”

Moderator: Dr.Thaung Htun, Burma Fund Director and Representative for the UN of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma

Ms. Debbie Stothard, Deputy Secretary-General, International Federation for Human Rights-FIDH

Ms. Wah Ku Shee, Women’s League of Burma

Ms. Du Du Win, Women’s League of Burma

Mr. Twan Zaw, Domestic Program In-charge, Students and Youth Congress of Burma

13.45 pm, SECOND PANEL “END SERIOUS CRIMES IN BURMA THROUGH A UN COMMISSION OF INQUIRY”

Moderator: Mr. Alberto Turlon, Burma Fund UN Advocacy Coordinator

Prof. Tyler Giannini, Director of the Harvard Law School’s International Human Rights Clinic

Mr. Emmanouil Athanasiou, Head of Asia Desk, FIDH

Ms. Elaine Pearson, Deputy Director, Asia Division, Human Rights Watch

Dr. Thaung Htun, Director, Burma Fund

Light Lunch will be provided

R.S.V.P. to alberto.turlon@gmail.com

-- Alberto TurlonUnited Nations Advocacy CoordinatorBurma Fund UN Office777, UN Plaza 10017New York, NY U.S.A.Tel: +1 212 338 0048Cell: +1 917 225 5942 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +1 917 225 5942 end_of_the_skype_highlighting