BANGKOK, Nov. 2 — Myanmar’s government ordered the expulsion of the United Nations’ top diplomat in the country today, after his office issued a critical statement urging the ruling generals to heed the voices of protesters.
The diplomat, Charles Petrie, was handed a letter ordering his expulsion at the end of a meeting with government officials today in Naypyidaw, the country’s capital.
“The government of the Union of Myanmar does not want Mr. Petrie to continue to serve in Myanmar, especially at this time when the cooperation between Myanmar and the United Nations is crucial,” the letter said.
The move complicates the visit of the United Nations special envoy to Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari, whose six-day trip, due to begin Saturday, was intended to support reconciliation between the government and its political opponents in the wake of the violent crackdown against Buddhist monk-led demonstrators.
Reached by telephone in Yangon, Mr. Petrie said he could not say how the United Nations would respond to the order before discussing it with Mr. Gambari.
“Before any statement can be made there needs to be consultation within the United Nations to gauge the implication for Gambari’s mission,” Mr. Petrie said.
On Oct. 24, Mr. Petrie’s office issued a statement urging the government to listen to dissenting voices in Myanmar and warning of a “deteriorating humanitarian situation.” It concluded with a reference to the protests, which erupted after a fuel price hike in August and developed into a wider movement calling for political change, before troops moved in to suppress them in late September.
“The concerns of the people have been clearly expressed through the recent peaceful demonstrations, and it is beholden on all to listen,” the statement said.
The following day, Myanmar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs protested, saying the statement was “unprecedented” and “very negative” and complained that Myanmar officials had not been notified in advance.
In an interview on Thursday, Mr. Petrie said he had drafted the statement to “help trigger dialogue and consultation on the underlying causes for poverty.”
“Many of the issues that were raised over the last two months by monks and others were exactly the same issues that we were trying to raise for the last four to five years,” he said.
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