DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang ( photo ) has slammed the mission of UN special envoy for Burma as an "unmitigated failure" because Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi remains under detention despite international pressure for her release.

Lim said Razali had to be content with only a visit to Suu Kyi, although his mission was initially to kick-start stalled national reconciliation talks.

"A fortnight before his 10th visit to Burma, Razali had expressed confidence in kick-starting the stalled political dialogue in Burma to bring about national reconciliation between the military junta, Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) and the ethnic minorities," Lim said in a press statement.

"It is a measure of the total failure of Razali's (initial) objective for (this) visit has been reduced to a desperate marathon plea to 'save face' for the United Nations in seeking access to Suu Kyi."

What about the rest?

Lim said another problem was the sole focus of the UN on the fate of Suu Kyi, while neglecting other members of her party who are said to have been killed or detained.

"(The UN has) ignored the plight of other pro-democracy activists who were detained in the crackdown. They include Tin Oo, the 75-year-old NLD vice-chairman, who was reportedly assaulted in the May 30 incident," Lim claimed.

"More than 100 party activists have been arrested, not to mention the reported scores who were killed during the junta-inspired ambush on Suu Kyi's motorcade in northern Burma."

On Tuesday, Razali returned from an urgent five-day mission to Rangoon with news that Suu Kyi had not been injured during a violent confrontation two weeks ago between her supporters and their opponents.

The Burmese government had announced that four persons have died and 50 injured, but exiled opposition activists claimed that at least 70 persons had died in the attack.

Apart from Suu Kyi, scores of NLD members are said to have been arrested but the number remains uncertain.

Although Razali had gone to Burma with a mission to secure Suu Kyi's release, he was only permitted to meet with her at military guest house hours before he was scheduled to leave Rangoon.

The UN envoy said he expects the junta to release Suu Kyi within two weeks, but it is now uncertain if he would be allowed back into Burma anytime soon to push for further concessions.

'Weakest link'

While all this has been happening, Lim said the prospect of national reconciliation talks seems to have been shot to pieces.

He also chastised Asean for its weak response to the events in Burma, saying that international outrage was in sharp contrast to the weak - and even absent - response by Asean governments.

"Asean will become the international laughing stock if the human rights violations and democratic backsliding in Burma do not become the centrepiece of the (Asean Ministerial Meeting in Phnom Penh next Monday)," he said.

Lim said Asean should stop being the "weakest link" in the Burma issue and instead, support the UN and its special envoy by pressuring the military junta to respect international opinion and the fundamental rights of Burmese to democracy.

He said the Asean meeting should make a major policy shift for this purpose, and call for a full and independent inquiry into the May 30 incident in Burma.

"In fact, the suspension of the junta from Asean should top the agenda," he added.

Muted response

Asean has been the subject of intense scrutiny since the detention of Suu Kyi, as it remains one of the few international organisations with Burma as a member.

However, Asean secretary-general Ong Keng Yong said last week that member countries may speak directly to the Burmese leadership, but dismissed the possibility that the regional body itself would get involved.

He said: "You cannot go in and tell your family member you cannot do this, you cannot do that".

To date, only Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has actively called for Suu Kyi's release. Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad echoed this call on Monday, but said his government would not apply pressure for the Burmese to comply with UN demands.

Razali, meanwhile, has several times expressed his dissatisfaction with Asean's lack of interest in the Burmese national reconciliation process.

Prior to his departure last Friday for Rangoon, Razali had urged Asean leaders to take responsibility in pushing for the start of dialogue between the two Burmese sides.