Chiang Mai - Burma's main opposition party – the National League for Democracy – on Monday lambasted the United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari for praising the activities of the 'Tripartite Core Group' saying the diplomat failed to see beyond the junta's projection of the situation in Burma.
Nyan Win, spokesperson for the NLD, said Gambari is out of touch with the ground realities in Burma and his failure to resist the junta from planning his itinerary during his trip further prevented him from getting up close to the true situation.
Gambari said the 'Tripartite Core Group', that leads relief efforts for cyclone victims, had provided an effective model for cooperation and collaboration between the international community and Burma.
TCG, formed with representatives of the Burmese junta, ASEAN and the UN, should extend beyond the humanitarian response in the areas affected by Cyclone Nargis to include social and economic development assistance in the rest of the country, he added.
The remarks of the Nigerian diplomat, who on Saturday concluded his six-day visit to the country, came following his meeting with members of the TCG August 18.
But Nyan Win said, "He [Gambari] may not know the reality as that visit was planned and showcased by the junta. And it is impossible for him to understand the true situation in such a short time."
Nyan Win said the UN envoy by visiting and making remarks on the humanitarian activities has been derailed in his mission to facilitate political dialogue between Burma's opposition groups and the government.
"We feel that he [Gambari] is trying to appease the junta so much that he is being derailed off his main track," Nyan Win added.
Gambari, during his six-day visit to Burma, met junior ministers of the Burmese junta but failed to meet military supremo Snr. Gen. Than Shwe as well as detained opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
Sources said, the UN undersecretary general for political affairs, was not even invited to visit Burma's new jungle capital, Nay Pyi Taw, where Than Shwe and other senior military leaders of the junta, who call themselves the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) are ensconced.
David Scott Mathieson, Burma consultant of the Human Rights Watch, said, the military junta had used the visit of Gambari for their benefit and to showcase their work.
"Any visiting envoy to Burma is like that. They are going to see the things that the SPDC wants them to see. So they only see the SPDC's made up shows," Mathieson said, apparently referring to previous UN envoys
including Razali Ismail, predecessor to Gambari who until December 2005 served as the UN Secretary General's special envoy to Burma.
"Gambari needs to look at both sides," Mathieson added.
During his visit, Gambari met NLD leaders twice and requested for a meeting with detained Nobel Peace Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. But the Burmese democracy icon refused to meet him.
But the UN envoy said as a continuation to the UN's efforts, the world body's chief Ban Ki-moon will pay a visit to the country in December.
But Nyo Ohn Myint, foreign affairs in-charge of the exiled NLD, said Gambari or Ban Ki-moon's visit to Burma will be a waste of time unless they are able to influence both the government and opposition to start a dialogue.
"I think it is high time that the UN uses diplomats that the Burmese junta can listen to instead of wasting time by sending someone that the junta itself does not want to meet," Nyo Ohn Myint said.
