The Myanmar junta slammed the UN on Tuesday for making “irrelevant” comments regarding the military government’s war crimes.
UN’s Comments
In a report released last week, the UN accused the junta of creating a “perpetual human rights crisis through the continuous use of violence, including the killing, arbitrary arrest, torture and enforced disappearance of anti-coup opponents.”
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said that generals of the Myanmar military have “embarked on a scorched earth policy in an attempt to stamp out opposition.”
The #Myanmar military has continuously used arbitrary lethal violence o the country's civilians, @UN High Commissioner for Human Rights @volker_turk told the Human Rights Council.
— UN Human Rights Council 📍#HRC52 (@UN_HRC) March 6, 2023
This is an "outrage on the conscience of humanity," he said.
REPORT ▶ https://t.co/Cw5td9ZwXc pic.twitter.com/ZF1mM6wOaq
He added that most “regional and global efforts for peace and restraint” have “fallen on deaf ears.” “Emboldened by continuous and absolute impunity,” Türk added that the military has “consistently shown disregard for international obligations and principles.”
The UN chief also called for “urgent, concrete action…to end this festering catastrophe.”
Myanmar Military’s Reaction
In a statement on its Facebook page on Tuesday, the military government’s foreign ministry criticised the report for being based on “sweeping allegations against the government and its security forces.”
It also stressed its “firm objection” against the “irrelevant recommendations made by the High Commissioner.”
#Myanmar: UN Human Rights Chief @volker_turk deplores 3rd yr of spiraling human rights, humanitarian & economic crisis caused by military rule. Calls on military to end violence against its people, incl discrimination against Rohingya, & vital intl support:https://t.co/9jBfkBrbjb pic.twitter.com/zjnseAzTaa
— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) March 6, 2023
The UN and Myanmar
Last September, the UN’s special envoy on Myanmar, Noeleen Heyzer, declared that she would not revisit the country unless she is allowed a meeting with deposed democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been imprisoned since the military coup in February 2021.
On the second anniversary of the coup last month, Heyzer made three recommendations to improve the situation in Myanmar:
- Increase humanitarian assistance
- Unified international position against Myanmar’s military
- Implement measures to protect civilians in Myanmar and refugees in the wider region.