The latest UN report accuses Burma's generals of being unwilling to confront a deteriorating human rights situation inside the country.

Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, the UN's Special Rapporteur for human rights in Burma, is due to address the UN's Human Rights Council today, in Geneva, on the current situation of human rights inside Burma.

According to the text of an advanced version of the Special Rapporteur's report, "there have been marked signs of deterioration in the economic and social sectors, which could aggravate the humanitarian situation," including the apparent lack of a primary level education for over half of the country's children.

Far from painting a picture of an improving climate for human rights, the UN report stipulates that following "the increased army deployment in certain ethnic areas and the implementation of major development projects" new possibilities for the further abuse of rights are coming to the fore.

Pinheiro last briefed the Council on the situation in Burma in November 2007, following the last opportunity he had to visit the country.

With May's constitutional referendum firmly on the horizon, the report makes clear that, "For democracy to be sustainable any draft constitution must be broadly representative of the views of all the people of Myanmar." The continuing existence of over 700,000 stateless residents designated as Rohingyas, is but one piece of evidence that all voices are currently not being heard.

Impunity is said to be one of the major obstacles facing any attempt at redressing the ills in Burmese society. Pinheiro points out that "the judiciary lacks independence and that it has provided a legal basis for abuses of power, arbitrary decision-making and exoneration of those responsible for human rights violations."

Persistent abuses of military power in predominantly ethnic regions of the country are also highlighted; with the increasing militarization of rural areas exacerbating an already poverty-stricken populace, of whom the military is said to rely on to provide supporting services.

Even when an improvement in human rights inside Burma is acknowledged, the revelation comes with a dark caveat.
"The main significant development has been that the authorities are apparently no longer requisitioning labor for major national infrastructure projects. However, forced labor continues to be widely imposed by local authorities for public infrastructure and services work," reads the draft text.

As a sign of good faith, the Special Rapporteur calls on the military regime to release the nearly 1,900 political prisoners now said to be held in custody. The regime has previously denied the existence of any political prisoners in the country.

UN Special Envoy to Burma, Ibrahim Gambari, will likely address the Security Council early next week on his recently concluded trip to Burma. Pinheiro encourages all groups to continue working with UN initiatives in trying to construct a credible dialogue between opposing Burmese blocs.