• Burmese
Friday, June 20, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
26 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home News

UN Burma Envoy Nambiar Finishes Term, Future of Role Unclear

Seamus Martov by Seamus Martov
January 16, 2017
in News
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0 0
A A
(L-R) Permanent Representative of Burma to the UN Tin Kyaw, then-UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon and the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Burma Vijay Nambiar are pictured at the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly in Manhattan, New York on September 23, 2016. / Andrew Kelly / Reuters

(L-R) Permanent Representative of Burma to the UN Tin Kyaw, then-UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon and the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Burma Vijay Nambiar are pictured at the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly in Manhattan, New York on September 23, 2016. / Andrew Kelly / Reuters

18k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Vijay Nambiar, a veteran Indian diplomat who served as the UN Secretary-General’s special envoy to Burma, left the position at the end of December, a move that coincided with the end of Ban Ki Moon’s term as the head of the UN. Nambiar, who previously served as Ban Ki Moon’s chief of staff, had been the Secretary General’s special envoy to Burma since 2010 when he succeeded Nigerian diplomat Ibrahim Gambari in the role.

In his position as special envoy, Nambiar traveled frequently to Burma and repeatedly visited a number of the country’s hot spots—most notably Arakan and Kachin states. He also made regular briefings to the UN Security Council about the situation in Burma, mostly recently having done so on November 17.

In recent years, Nambiar had focused much of his time on the ongoing peace process, and was a frequent attendee of the series of high-level meetings that have been ongoing since 2012. He traveled to the Kachin Independence Organization’s (KIO) de-facto capital Laiza in 2013 to attend a summit of armed groups, and also attended a similar meeting of ethnic armed groups held in Karen National Union territory at Law Khee Lar in 2015.

RelatedPosts

China Defends Myanmar Junta on Human Rights at UN

China Defends Myanmar Junta on Human Rights at UN

June 12, 2025
1.4k
Disaster Diplomacy in Myanmar: A Convenient Narrative for the Int’l Community

Disaster Diplomacy in Myanmar: A Convenient Narrative for the Int’l Community

May 15, 2025
1k
Paranoid Junta Turns to Foreign Expertise After 4 Years of Chaos; and More

Paranoid Junta Turns to Foreign Expertise After 4 Years of Chaos; and More

May 10, 2025
1.6k

It was at Law Khee Lar, during a speech delivered to an audience that consisted of the senior leadership of most of Burma’s major ethnic armed groups, that the veteran diplomat strongly urged the armed groups to move forward with the peace process and sign the nationwide ceasefire agreement.

“It is critical that we get such a process started as soon as possible,” he said, before adding, “For this to happen you will require to make some concessions.”

The advice was not universally welcomed by all the armed groups in attendance, particularly those who continue to be on receiving end of repeated attacks by government forces.

Nambiar most recently traveled to KIO territory to attend another meeting of ethnic armed groups in Mai Ja Yang in July 2016. In contrast, Yanghee Lee, the UN special envoy for human rights in Burma, was denied permission by the government to visit the KIO area in 2016 and again on Jan. 9 this year.

In a Dec. 16 interview in New York that appears to have been his last before leaving his position as Burma envoy, Nambiar spoke at length about the ongoing crisis in Arakan State, another issue that was a key focus during his tenure in the role. Nambiar told Turkey’s state-owned Anadolu Agency that the recent attacks in Arakan State, while condemnable, exposed “a deep-seated malaise in the place itself.”

“For almost three years, there hasn’t been any major outbreak of violence in Rakhine, even though the 2012 events were a pointer,” a reference to the violence which led thousands of Muslim Rohingya to flee from their homes and also displaced a number of Arakanese Buddhists.

“We had been bringing this to the notice of the government and telling them that unless some action was taken to address some of the root causes, it was likely that this would erupt once again,” said Nambiar.

In another interview conducted with the Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo last week, after he had left office, Nambiar expanded on the Rohingya issue and their statelessness. According to Nambiar, “the government has to address the root cause, the issue of citizenship. I understand the majority of the Rohingyas have in the past been recognized [as citizens]. That process of reassurance must start soon. There has to be a sense of assurance among the Rohingyas that the government recognizes them as citizens, and the minority would be given their due place in the country.”

Ban Ki Moon’s successor as Secretary-General, António Guterres, has yet to name a replacement for Nambiar and it remains unclear whether he will do so. The Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General responded to questions from The Irrawaddy about whether a successor would be appointed by saying that the matter is still being discussed.

Nambiar is the fourth UN special envoy to Burma the first was Peruvian diplomat Alvaro de Soto, who beginning in 1995 was dispatched by UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali to meet with the junta, which then called itself the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). After several years of mostly fruitless effort to open up a dialogue with the regime, de Soto was replaced by the Malaysian diplomat Razali Ismail in April 2000. Razali, was, for much of his stint as envoy, dogged by controversy stemming from his 30 percent stake in a Malaysian firm that had a contract with the Burmese government to make electronic passports. He made numerous visits to Burma until the October 2004 purge of intelligence chief Khin Nyunt, after which point Razali was longer welcome in the country.

Razali, who had previously been Malaysia’s permanent representative to the UN, was later replaced by the Nigerian diplomat Ibrahim Gambari in 2005. Nambiar took over from Gambari in 2010.

Your Thoughts …
Tags: Arakan StateConflictForeign RelationsUNVijay Nambiar
Seamus Martov

Seamus Martov

...

Similar Picks:

Myanmar Junta Counteroffensives Failing Across Country: Analysts
Analysis

Myanmar Junta Counteroffensives Failing Across Country: Analysts

by Hein Htoo Zan
September 20, 2024
16.7k

Three major operations to retake territory from ethnic armies and their allies are being hampered by troop shortages, experts say.

Read moreDetails
Singapore Called On to Stop Feeding Myanmar Junta’s War Machine
Myanmar’s Crisis & the World

Singapore Called On to Stop Feeding Myanmar Junta’s War Machine

by The Irrawaddy
August 24, 2023
10.2k

Over 200 civil society organizations demand that city-state block regime’s access to arms, dual-use goods, technology and funds.

Read moreDetails
UN Slams Aid Abuse After ‘Rice Bunkers’ Found at Myanmar Junta Base
Burma

UN Slams Aid Abuse After ‘Rice Bunkers’ Found at Myanmar Junta Base

by Hein Htoo Zan
December 19, 2024
5.8k

Fortifications built from rice sacks reportedly discovered at Border Guard Force Battalion seized by Arakan Army in famine-threatened Rakhine State.

Read moreDetails
Yingluck Shinawatra to Be UN Special Envoy on Myanmar?
Burma

Yingluck Shinawatra to Be UN Special Envoy on Myanmar?

by The Irrawaddy
April 1, 2024
5.5k

Selection of former Thai PM hailed as ‘bold, maverick’ choice by noted Myanmar analyst.

Read moreDetails
Myanmar Junta Boss Returns to China’s Embrace After Russia Trip
Myanmar-China Watch

Myanmar Junta Boss Returns to China’s Embrace After Russia Trip

by The Irrawaddy
March 12, 2025
5.4k

Min Aung Hlaing hosts Chinese envoy for talks on Beijing’s Shan intervention and support for regime’s planned poll.   

Read moreDetails
Rakhine War: Dozens More Defeated Myanmar Junta Troops Flee to Bangladesh
Myanmar’s Crisis & the World

Rakhine War: Dozens More Defeated Myanmar Junta Troops Flee to Bangladesh

by Muktadir Rashid  
June 13, 2024
5.3k

Latest exodus from battle with Arakan Army comes just days after Dhaka repatriated 134 regime runaways. 

Read moreDetails
Load More
Next Post
A UWSA soldier holds a weapon while marching in Panghsang, Wa State. / Reuters / Soe Zeya Tun

Leadership Change Looms for UWSA

Anti-war protester Ko Thae Nit Aung after being assaulted in Mandalay. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy

Protester Attacked at Rally in Support of Burma Army

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

Myanmar Tourism Sector Mocks Junta’s Russia Tourist Drive

Myanmar Tourism Sector Mocks Junta’s Russia Tourist Drive

6 days ago
1.7k
Untested Commander Takes Charge as Myanmar Military Faces Toughest Challenge in Decades

Untested Commander Takes Charge as Myanmar Military Faces Toughest Challenge in Decades

6 days ago
1.8k

Most Read

  • On Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s Birthday, Recalling the Cake That Rattled the Junta

    On Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s Birthday, Recalling the Cake That Rattled the Junta

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Global Campaign Reaches Goal to Honor Aung San Suu Kyi on Her 80th Birthday

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Bago Resistance Claims 20 Myanmar Junta Personnel Killed

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Thai PM Faces Growing Calls to Quit in Cambodia Phone Row

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • ADB Announces Record $100m Quake Aid Package for Myanmar

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Books
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.