Burma is also one of the world’s most impoverished countries. The United Nations and several international organizations have become  an important source of outside assistance to the country. International Organizations Are Undertaking Wide Range of Efforts to Address Burma’s Problems

The United Nations and other international organizations have undertaken  numerous efforts to address some of Burma’s most pressing problems. These efforts include programs aimed at addressing prison conditions,  forced labor, and conflicts in Burma’s ethnic areas. ICRC has attempted to monitor prison  conditions in Burma, while ILO has sought to allow victims of forced labor  to file complaints without interference from the regime. These organizations include UNHCR and ICRC. Several UN entities have provided assistance to combat  HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis; to support the country capacity in  both the human and animal sectors for avian and human influenza  pandemic preparedness and response; and to improve reproductive health  and combat the manufacture and use of dangerous drugs. Burmese Military Regime Has Blocked or Impeded Activities of Many International Organizations

According to officials of international organizations, Burma’s regime has  blocked or impeded activities undertaken by many international  organizations following its ouster of the former Prime Minister in 2004. It  has blocked international efforts to monitor prison conditions, and, until  recently, forced labor cases. The regime has also significantly restricted  international assistance to populations living in conflict areas, and, to a  lesser degree, impeded food, development, and health programs. The regime formalized its restrictions on the  international organizations in 2006 by publishing guidelines to govern their  activities in Burma. The guidelines, if fully implemented, would further  tighten regime controls over these activities and contain provisions that  UN officials consider to be unacceptable. For example,  the guidelines would require the international organizations to    agree that their international staff may only travel within Burma with  permission from the subject area ministry and with a regime  representative;   obtain prior approval of all international projects by subject area  ministries and by the Ministry of National Planning and Economic  Development;   avoid conducting or distributing any surveys not mentioned and approved  in the original project documentation;    deposit all incoming funds in Burma’s national bank for subsequent  withdrawal as “foreign exchange credits”;    agree that their programs will “enhance and safeguard the national  interest,” “prevent infringement of the sovereignty of the State,” and “be on  the right track…to contributing to the socio-economic development of the  Nation”;   coordinate their work with local and state coordinating committees that  include representatives of the Union Solidarity Development Association  and similar groups; and   select their Burmese national staff from government-prepared lists of  individuals. The regime has halted ICRC’s efforts to assist and protect civilians in  conflict areas over the past 2-1/2 years. Regime’s Travel Restrictions Have Hindered Programs

The regime’s policies on travel have hindered international organizations’  efforts to ship food to vulnerable populations within the country. However, UN and other international officials told us that the Burmese  regime has impeded their ability to conduct their own surveys and freely  share the data they gather regarding the nature and scope of Burma’s  problems. Despite Restrictions, International Organization Officials Stressed That Their Organizations Are Still Able to Achieve Meaningful Results

Several international organization officials stressed that their  organizations are still able to achieve meaningful results in their efforts to  address Burma’s development, humanitarian, and health problems, despite  the regime’s post-2004 restrictions. Agency Comments and Our Evaluation

We requested comments on a draft of this report from the Secretary of  State and cognizant officials at the United Nations and ICRC. However, it  expressed concern that our draft report did not note that a significant  opening of humanitarian space on the ground has been achieved by the  UN and its partners in the past decade. This statement is in contrast to  information UN officials had provided earlier stating that conditions had  deteriorated since the 2004 change in government. The team did not  dispute our specific findings about restrictions faced. Key contributors are listed in appendix V.

Appendix I: Scope and Methodology

To identify the principal efforts of United Nations (UN) and other  international organizations in addressing Burma’s problems, we examined  documents relating to programs conducted in Burma by the 10 UN entities  located in that country. We also traveled to several locations in Burma,  where we met with officials of the Food and Agriculture Organization,  International Labor Organization, Joint United Nations Program on  HIV/AIDS, UN Children’s Fund, UN Development Program, UN High  Commissioner for Refugees, UN Office on Drugs and Crime, UN  Population Fund, World Health Organization, World Food Program, and  International Committee of the Red Cross. GAO Comments

1. 3.
Why GAO Did This Study

Burma is one of the world's most impoverished and isolated countries. The United Nations (UN) and other international organizations have become important sources of outside assistance to the country. In recent years, UN entities have increased their funding for activities aimed at addressing Burma's problems. However, Burma's military regime has imposed restrictions on international organizations' activities in Burma. GAO (1) identified principal efforts of the United Nations and other international organizations to address Burma's problems and (2) described the impact of the regime's recent actions on these efforts. We reviewed UN, U.S., and Burmese official documents and interviewed UN, U.S., Burmese, and nongovernmental organization officials in the United States and Burma. We also visited UN project sites in Burma.

What GAO Found

The United Nations and other international organizations have undertaken numerous efforts aimed at addressing Burma's most pressing problems, which include forced labor, harsh prison conditions, ethnic conflict, an HIV/AIDS epidemic, and poverty. The International Labor Organization (ILO) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have sought to monitor forced labor and prison conditions in Burma by allowing victims to voice their complaints without interference from the regime. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and ICRC seek to assist populations in conflict areas near Burma's border with Thailand. International organizations also attempt to provide food to vulnerable populations, promote local economic development, improve health conditions, and strengthen the Burmese educational system. For example, several UN entities provide assistance to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and drug abuse, as well as to improve reproductive health. Burma's military regime has blocked or impeded activities undertaken by many international organizations in Burma over the past 3 years. In 2004, the regime distanced itself from these organizations and began adopting increasingly restrictive policies. In 2006, it published formal guidelines to restrict international activities in Burma. These guidelines, which have yet to be fully implemented, contain provisions that UN officials consider to be unacceptable. The regime's restrictions have had the greatest impact on international efforts to monitor prison conditions, investigate claims of forced labor, and assist victims of ethnic conflict. The regime has blocked ICRC efforts to monitor prison conditions and, until recently, ILO efforts to address forced labor. The regime has also restricted UNHCR and ICRC efforts to assist populations living in areas affected by ethnic conflict. To a lesser degree, the regime has impeded UN food, development, and health programs by restricting their ability to (1) move food and international staff freely within the country and (2) conduct research needed to determine the nature and scope of some of Burma's problems. Despite these restrictions, several international organization officials told us they are still able to achieve meaningful results in their efforts to mitigate some of Burma's humanitarian, health, and development problems. We asked the Department of State and officials of international organizations to comment on a draft of this report. State commented that the draft report was thorough, accurate, and balanced. The United Nations' country team for Burma did not dispute our specific findings regarding the regime's restrictions but expressed concern that that we had not noted that it had achieved "a significant opening of humanitarian space on the ground." We believe that this statement is not consistent with information provided to us earlier by UN officials, who stated that conditions in Burma had deteriorated since the 2004 purge within the regime. Other comments and our responses to them are contained in appendixes II, III, and IV.