Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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November 17, 2007

Burma's Ruling General Vows to Follow Roadmap to Democracy
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1A48376:A6F02AD83191E1605E50F8A6ED062C917F0EB4B66EA3A89D& Under roadmap,
Burma would adopt a constitution in referendum that would eventually
lead to free elections Burma's military leader says he is committed to
going ahead with the country's "road map" to democracy.

The official New Light of Myanmar newspaper Saturday quoted Senior
General Than Shwe as saying the process of building a new nation is a
process involving the entire nation.

The paper said that in a speech Friday, the general said the road map
was the only means to a smooth transition towards a new state.

Under the ruling generals' road map, Burma will adopt a constitution
in a referendum that would eventually lead to free elections.

But the United States, European Union and United Nations have
dismissed the lengthy proceedings as a sham, due to the absence of
detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's political party.

In early September, the military government ended 14 years of talks to
draft guidelines for a new constitution.







UN human rights envoy Paulo Sergio Pinheiro speaks at a brief press
conference in Bangkok, 16 Nov 2007Friday in Bangkok, a U.N.
human-rights envoy says he was told the Burmese military's crackdown
on pro-democracy demonstrations two months ago killed at least 15
people in Rangoon alone.

The United Nations representative, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, says he
cannot tell whether the casualty estimate is accurate, but that
Burmese authorities told him it was based on official documents.

Burma's military rulers previously had said 10 people died in the
September protests.

Pinheiro traveled to Thailand after a five-day trip to Burma - his
first visit in four years - which was intended to uncover details of
human-rights violations committed during and after the September
crackdown.



He is expected to present a report on his findings to the U.N. Human
Rights Council on December 11.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP.


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