버마 최고 군사지도자인 탄쉐 장군은 '민주주의를 위한 단계적 계획'을 계속 추진할 것이라고 다짐했습니다.
버마 관영 '미얀마 새 빛' 신문은 17일, 새로운 국가를 건설하는 과정은 국가 전체가 포함되는 과정이라는 탄쉐 장군의 말을 인용했습니다.
이 신문은 탄쉐 장군이 16일 연설에서, 단계적 계획이 새로운 국가를 향한 순조로운 전환을 위한 유일한 수단이라고 말했다고 전했습니다.
버마 군사정부의 단계적 계획에 따르면, 버마는 국민투표를 통해 헌법을 채택하고 궁극적으로 자유 선거를 실시하게 됩니다.
그러나, 미국과 유럽연합, 유엔은 가택연금된 민주화 지도자 아웅산 수치 여사의 민족민주동맹이 배제된 채 진행되고 있기 때문에, 그같은 장기간의 과정은 속임수에 불과하다고 일축하고 있습니다.
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 today (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.
Friday 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 11th.