United Nations
General Assembly
A/RES/56/231
Distr.: General
28 February 2002
Fifty-sixth session
Agenda item 119 (c)
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly
[on the report of the Third Committee (A/56/583/Add.3)]
56/231. Situation of human rights in Myanmar
The General Assembly,
Reaffirming that all Member States have an obligation to promote and protect
human rights and fundamental freedoms, as stated in the Charter of the United
Nations and elaborated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1 the
International Covenants on Human Rights 2 and other applicable human rights
instruments,
Aware that, in accordance with the Charter, the United Nations promotes and
encourages respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all and that the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that the will of the people shall be the
basis of the authority of government, and therefore expressing its grave concern that
the Government of Myanmar has still not implemented its commitment to take all
necessary steps towards democracy in the light of the results of the elections held in
1990,
Recalling its resolution 55/112 of 4 December 2000 and Commission on
Human Rights resolution 1992/58 of 3 March 1992, 3 in which the Commission,
inter alia, decided to nominate a special rapporteur with a given mandate, and taking
note of Commission resolution 2001/15 of 18 April 2001, 4 in which the Commission
decided to extend for one year the mandate of its Special Rapporteur on the situation
of human rights in Myanmar,
Recalling also the observation made by the former Special Rapporteur that the
absence of respect for the rights pertaining to democratic governance is at the root
of all major violations of human rights in Myanmar,
Still gravely concerned about the human rights situation in Myanmar,
especially the suppression of the exercise of political rights and freedom of thought,
expression, association and movement in Myanmar, and about restrictions placed on
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1
Resolution 217 A (III).
Resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex.
3
See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 1992, Supplement No. 2 (E/1992/22), chap. II,
sect. A.
4
Ibid., 2001, Supplement No. 3 (E/2001/23), chap. II, sect. A.
2
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