UN special envoy flies into diplomatic storm in Burma

Gambari arrived at Yangon International Airport at 3:40 pm local time, where he was met by Burma's Minister for Relations Aung Kyi. The UN special envoy was scheduled to fly on to the new capital in Naypyidaw, where he was to attend a dinner hosted by Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win, UN sources in Rangoon said.

Gambari's mission - to pressure Burma's military regime to open a dialogue with opposition figures and release prominent political prisoners in the wake of a brutal crackdown on monk-led protests on September 26-27 - has started on the defensive.

It was revealed Friday that UN country chief Charles James Petrie has been denied a renewal of his visa, meaning he must depart immediately after the expiry of his current visa later this month.

Petrie's effective expulsion was reportedly prompted by a statement he issued on October 24, in which he said the September protests "clearly demonstrated the everyday struggle to meet basic needs and the urgent necessity to address the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country." 

The statement outraged Myanmar's military rulers, who have styled themselves the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).

On Friday National Planning Minister denied Petrie's claims that the government had mismanaged the economy, noting that Burma's's poverty gap between rich and poor was much less than those of Cambodia, Laos and Bangladesh.

It is true that over the past 45 years of military rule with socialist leanings, Burmese generals have succeeded in spreading poverty to all strata of society. It was the government's surprise decision to more than double petrol and diesel prices in mid-August that sparked the latest spate of protests that ended in a bloody crackdown in Yangon, with ten dead according to official figures.

Others say the death toll was closer to 200.

In Rangoon, authorities reportedly cut Internet access and severed the telephone line of at least one prominent local journalist on the eve of Gambari's arrival.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed "disappointment" that Burma's  military junta has decided to expel Petrie.

Ban said in a statement issued from UN headquarters in New York that he supports Petrie and asked Gambari to demand that Myanmar rescind the order.

"The secretary general has full confidence in the UN country team and its leadership and appreciates their contribution to the improvement of the socio-economic and humanitarian conditions for the people of Myanmar (Burma)," the statement said.//DPA