Military regime to establish base on Mars...or a human rights commission

Recently, the military regime indicated it might establish a human rights commission in Burma. This proposal surprised many groups seeking democracy in Burma, and observers of Burmese politics. Indeed, some consider the regime would have as much success establishing a base on Mars! The human rights commission being contemplated is a type of body existing in many countries and internationally known as a National Human Rights Institution ('NHRI'). The article provides a general background of NHRIs, notes the existing NHRIs in the Asia-Pacific, and addresses some main features of an NHRI. Then, with this back-ground, an analysis is made of the relevant factors in Burma. It is hoped this will provide a basic explanation about NHRIs, which may assist in the ongoing discussion on how such a body could feature in Burma's future. The remainder of this paper is divided into four sections: (2) overview of NHRIs; (3) main NHRI features; (4) relevant factors in Burma; and (5) conclusions.