Yangon/New York/Geneva: Violence is reported from Myanmar where the new Military Junta after usurping power through a coup is reportedly using live ammunition against protesters and is on an arbitrary detention spree. Reports further suggest the military has detained 220 Government officials and many members of civil society in the country to date.
Yeik Nyein , a local citizen tweeted a post today: “Military dropped prisoners on random streets across the cities. Creating a complete fake RIOT with drugged prisoners to make noise while recording from Drone to make fake RIOT! They are driving fake ambulance (new sticker) and kidnapping the people.”
‘You messed with the wrong generation’: the young people resisting Myanmar’s military.
Report: https://t.co/DR2N4P9K1R
Resources: https://t.co/UpHGB24uun#Feb13Coup #WhatsHappeninglnMyanmar pic.twitter.com/p0iBSQEfzA
— Anonymous (@YourAnonCentral) February 13, 2021
In Geneva, at the UN Human Rights Council’s special session on Myanmar on February 12, 2021, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif said the crisis in Myanmar was born of impunity: “Let us be clear: the indiscriminate use of lethal or less-than-lethal weapons against peaceful protestors is unacceptable. More violence against Myanmar’s people will only compound the illegitimacy of the coup, and the culpability of its leaders.”
‘The #Myanmar crisis was born of impunity. More violence against Myanmar’s people will only compound the illegitimacy of the coup, and the culpability of its leaders.’
Statement: https://t.co/kswmU7eA0p#WhatsHappeninglnMyanmar #Feb13Coup pic.twitter.com/uOeCDz8tNN
— Anonymous (@YourAnonCentral) February 13, 2021
Al_Nashif added: “Our Office is tracking more than 350 political and state officials, activists and civil society members, including journalists, monks and students, who have been taken into custody. Several face criminal charges on dubious grounds. Most have received no form of due process and have not been permitted legal representation, family visitations or communication. Some remain missing, with no information as to their whereabouts or well-being.
The independent UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar Tom Andrews has said in a video message: “We need real action from the United Nations.” He informed that the army was using live ammunition against protester, and said that all the options should be on the table of the United Nations Security Council, including sanction and an embargo.
In New York, Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the United Nations Secretary-General, told journalists last night (IST) that his colleagues in the UN were following the unfolding events with great concern. “I think it is important that the Security Council continue to keep an eye on the situation in Myanmar forcefully and live up to their own responsibilities…the use, the disproportionate use of force, the use of live ammunition, those are all unacceptable,” he said.
In Geneva, the UN Human Rights Council in its special session on Myanmar on February 12, 2021, adopted a resolution in which it deplored the removal of the Government democratically elected by the people of Myanmar in the general election held on November 8, 2020, and the suspension of mandates of members of all parliaments, and called for the restoration of the democratically elected Government.
The Council strongly called upon the Myanmar military and other security forces and authorities to take steps immediately to protect the rights to freedom of opinion and expression, religion or belief, association and peaceful assembly in accordance with international human rights law, and to ensure that members of civil society organisations and the media are able to operate freely and without fear of violence, harassment or intimidation. It further called for the immediate lifting of restrictions on the Internet, telecommunication and social media, in accordance with international human rights law.
The Council also called urgently for the immediate and unconditional release of all persons arbitrarily detained, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint and others, and the lifting of the state of emergency, and stressed the need to refrain from violence and fully respect human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law.
Interpreting the the passage of this resolution by the Human Rights Council, as a “very important step”, Dujarric, in New York, said it showed that the international community will speak strongly and with a strong voice in calling for the reversal of the events unfolding in Myanmar and for the full respect of the democratic will of the people of Myanmar, as well as full respect of their human rights.
“We will continue to speak out, as we have, I think, whether it’s the Secretary‑General or his country team or his Special Envoy who continues to engage with various partners on the issue,” he said. He pointed out that the Special Envoy, Christine Schraner Burgener, had delivered the UN concerns and its message directly to the military when she spoke earlier this week to one of the deputy heads of the military. “So, we will continue in that regard. We will, of course, abide and follow the resolution of the Human Rights Council, as we do. I think it just came out. We’ll take a look at it, and whatever we need to do to implement it, we will do so,” he added.
In the meantime, the Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for the United Nations in Myanmar, Ola Almgren, said the UN, as well as its partners had, for many years, been responding to humanitarian needs caused by conflict and natural disasters in Myanmar. He stressed that it was their absolute intention to continue to do this work under the current circumstances. According to him it was essential that life‑saving humanitarian assistance continued unimpeded and that humanitarian partners were given timely and safe access to the populations in need.
Almgren noted that, as always, the UN’s humanitarian response was guided by internationally recognized principles of neutrality, impartiality, independence and humanity. “Last year, thanks to the generous support of donors, 930,000 women, children and men in conflict-impacted areas received food assistance; 250,000 people accessed essential health‑care services; and hundreds of thousands received nutrition support. This year, the Myanmar Humanitarian Response Plan aims to help nearly 1 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and we are seeking $276 million for that,” he said.
– global bihari bureau
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