Impunity or Reconciliation in Burma’s Transition

By International Center for Transitional Justice • December 1, 2010

The Burmese government cannot change in a meaningful way until it eliminates the culture of impunity for human rights violations that has developed during the past 48 years. The international community can help this effort by establishing a commission of inquiry into the violations.

Recent efforts in Burma to end the civil war and to introduce democratic rule have fallen short. The November 2010 elections were a sham, and ceasefire agreements between the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and armed opposition groups have begun to fail.

However, on November 13, a week after the elections, the government released democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest after she was detained for almost 15 of the last 21 years. Her release introduces new opportunities to support a transition to democracy.

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