United Nations,

The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday urged the Burmese military junta to move more quickly to allow democracy to flourish in the totalitarian-ruled state. The UN also announced that its special envoy to Burma will not visit the country during his current trip to the region.

Meanwhile, a UN spokesperson said Ibrahim Gambari, the UN special envoy on Burma, who is currently on a consultation trip to the region, might not go to Burma as was early as expected.

“On 16-17 October, he’s in Kuala Lumpur; 17-21 October, he should be in Jakarta; 21-23 October, he should be in New Delhi; 24-25 October, he should be in Beijing; 25-27 October, he should be in Tokyo; and he should be back on 27 October,” she said.

"On this trip, he is not going to Myanmar [Burma],” she said.

The secretary-general also said he has not received a letter written by the 88 Generation Students leaders, but has taken diplomatic measures as needed in the case of Burma.

In a letter sent on the student leaders on Tuesday, the 88 Generation Students leaders urged the secretary- general to personally telephone the Snr-Gen Than Shwe to demand an end to the torture of prisoners and to fulfill the demands made by the security council in its presidential statement.

The letter also urged him to talk to the leaders of Russia and China to try to find a consensus on how to create real reform in Burma.

“We reemphasize our willingness to work with China and Russia. We see these countries as friendly and respectfully request that they exercise maximum understanding when considering our plight,” said the letter, signed by Tun Myint Aung, Nilar Thein and Soe Htun—who are hiding.

When asked about the requests made by the 88 Generation Student leaders, Ban Ki-moon said: “I have been very closely communicating with him (Ibrahim Gambari), and I am going to discuss this matter, first of all with regional leaders and also with the authorities in Myanmar.”

Referring to the recent Burmese crackdown on peaceful protestors, he said it was “abhorrent and unacceptable.”

“I hope that through continued dialogue between my special envoy, Gambari, and the Myanmar authorities, we will be able to make progress. The Myanmar authorities should think about the future of their country and of their people, reflecting and respecting all the wishes of the international community.”

In their letter, the 88 Generation Students said the Burmese military junta is trying to eliminate democratic groups by using violence and arbitrary arrest. They urged the UN to adopt a binding resolution with targeted sanctions such as an investment ban and an arms embargo.

The 88 Generation Students also urged the security council to immediately send Gambari to Burma and ask him to stay there as long as necessary to facilitate a meaningful political dialogue.

“The UN permanent presence in Burma to monitor the situation and facilitate a meaningful dialogue is now more important than ever,” the letter said.