Myanmar expels top U.N. diplomat in the country

Myanmar’s military government ordered the expulsion of the top United Nations diplomat in the country Friday in response to his criticism of the regime.

The move came a day before U.N. special envoy Ibrahim Gambari was to return to Myanmar, also known as Burma, to continue promoting reconciliation between the government and the country’s pro-democracy movement, led by detained Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

After the expulsion of U.N. Resident Coordinator Charles Petrie, Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council, said, “This outrageous action . . . is an insult to the United Nations and the international community.”

In a note to foreign diplomats and U.N. representatives, the regime accused Petrie of going beyond his duties and “expressed the government’s intention not to continue his assignment here,” United Nations Information Center spokesman Aye Win said from Yangon, Myanmar’s principal city.

Petrie, like other diplomats, serves in Myanmar only with the consent of its government and was not expected to stay without an invitation.

His office said Oct. 24 that Myanmar’s government was not meeting the economic and humanitarian needs of its people, and said that was the cause of the recent mass pro-democracy protests, which were violently suppressed by government forces.

“The concerns of the people have been clearly expressed through the recent peaceful demonstrations, and it is beholden on all to listen,” the office said.

Some U.N. agencies are critical of the regime, especially the International Labor Organization, which accuses it of using forced labor in its military. But a smaller group of agencies has been promoting aid to Myanmar, especially humanitarian and anti-narcotics assistance.