Burma's Picture of 'Normalcy' Presented to UN Envoy

Source: Irrawaddy News

For the past few days, Burma’s military regime has yet again proved its mastery at conjuring up an image of normalcy when an important visitor is in town.

But the drama played out for United Nations human rights envoy Paulo Sergio after he touched down in this commercial centre on Sunday has nauseated and angered the monks and ordinary people who have been at the receiving end of the junta’s extreme repression.

As accounts of deception made their way across Rangoon, they prompted a reaction of cynicism and anger. ‘’The military government is like a sore on our body. It doesn’t give us any good thing. It badly infects the whole body,’’ a 26-year-old Buddhist monk told IPS. ‘’Only the UN and international pressure can cure that sore, I think.’’

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