The Myanmar junta’s brutal response to peaceful protests likely meets the legal threshold for crimes against humanity, an UN-appointed independent rights expert told the Human rights Council on Thursday.
Calling for a united global response, Special Rapporteur Thomas H. Andrews said that “the people of Myanmar need not only words of support but supportive action. They need the help of the international community, now”.
According to Andrews, an independent expert appointed by the Council for a three-year mandate, a UN security council statement expressing their deep concern about developments in Myanmar are welcome words, but “they are wholly insufficient.”
Andrews stressed that a growing body of reporting indicates that the junta’s security forces are committing acts of murder, imprisonment, persecution and other crimes as part of a coordinated campaign, directed against a civilian population, in a widespread and systematic manner, with the knowledge of the junta’s leadership - thereby likely meeting the legal threshold for crimes against humanity.
“Credible reports indicate that, as of today, Myanmar security forces have murdered at least 70 people”, he said.
“The junta is detaining dozens, sometimes hundreds, every day. As of last night, the total number of arbitrary arrests and detentions since 1 February had risen beyond 2,000, and the violence against protesters, including violence against people sitting peacefully in their homes, is steadily increasing,” Andrews added.
According to Andrews, “the people of Myanmar are desperate. They are upholding and defending the highest principles of this body and the United Nations, including their commitment to non-violence. But these principles, and their very lives, are under vicious attack”.
In a report to the Human Rights Council, Andrews details how the Myanmar military illegally overthrew the civilian government last month and proceeded to attack the people of Myanmar by committing the crimes of murder, assault and arbitrary detention. He also details human rights violations preceding the coup in an annex to the report.
With the UN Security Council seemingly unwilling to invoke its Chapter VII authority, Andrews said Member States must rally together to take action.
Andrews outlined five options that such a coalition could take immediately among which are: to stop the flow of funds to the junta, including by imposing targeted sanctions on the junta’s business enterprises and on Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise, the single largest source of revenue to the State of Myanmar; impose an international arms embargo; ensure accountability for the crimes, through national courts using universal jurisdiction if the Security Council is unwilling to refer the matter to the International Criminal Court; work directly with local civil society and aid organizations to provide humanitarian assistance whenever possible; and deny recognition of the military junta as the legitimate government representing the people of Myanmar.
In response to the report, Mr. Chan Aye, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, said that the State Administration Council (SAC) “did not abolish the State Constitution and it has made its commitment to consolidate the genuine, disciplined multi-party democratic system that suits the prevailing situation of the country as aspired to by the people of Myanmar.
He added that “in the recent days, the authorities concerned have been paying attention to maintaining law and order in the country. The authorities have been exercising utmost restraint to deal with violent protests. The authorities have tried to handle the violent protests in line with riot control manual in accordance with domestic laws, rules and applicable international standards.”
- ENDS-
1.Exterior wide shot, United Nations flag flying.
2.Wide of Assembly Hall briefing
3.SOUNDBITE (English) Thomas H. Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar: “Credible reports indicate that, as of today, Myanmar’s security forces have murdered at least 70 people. Madame President, those murdered were fathers, sons, mothers, daughters, husbands, and wives. They were educators, they were engineers; they were students, they were many ages, but more than half of those murdered were members of Generation Z, or young people under the age of 25”.
4. Wide shot of Assembly Hall briefing with projection of speaker
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Thomas H. Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar: ”The junta is detaining dozens, sometimes hundreds, every day. As of last night, the total number of arbitrary arrests and detentions since 1 February had risen beyond 2,000, and the violence against protesters, including violence against people sitting peacefully in their homes, is steadily increasing”.
6.Close of panel
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Thomas H. Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar: “As I
documented in my report, the junta has systemically destroyed legal protections, from freedom of expression, assembly and
association, to the right to privacy. It has given itself the authority to invade people’s homes without warning; removed habeas
corpus, or the right to appear before a judge to determine whether an arrest is lawful”.
8. Wide of Assembly Hall briefing.
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Thomas H. Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar: ”There is growing evidence that this same Myanmar military, led by the same senior leadership, is now likely engaging in crimes against humanity, including the acts of murder, enforced disappearance, persecution, torture, and imprisonment in violation of fundamental rules of international law”.
10. Close of video camera
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Thomas H. Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar: ”Yesterday, the UN Security Council released a statement expressing their deep concern about developments in Myanmar. They condemned the violence against peaceful protesters and expressed continued support for a democratic transition. These words are welcome. But, they are wholly insufficient”.
12. Mid shot of journalists
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Thomas H. Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar: “The people of Myanmar are desperate. They are upholding and defending the highest principles of this body and the United Nations, including their commitment to non-violence. But these principles, and their very lives, are under vicious attack. The people of Myanmar need not only words of support but supportive ACTION. They need the help of the international community, now”.
14. Wide of Mr. Chan Aye, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar speaking to the panel
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Mr. Chan Aye, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar: “After assumption of the responsibilities of State, the SAC did not abolish the State Constitution (2008) and it has made its commitment to consolidate the genuine, discplined multi-party democratic system that suits the prevailing situation of the country as aspired to by the people of Myanmar”.
16.Mid of Mr. Chan Aye, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar speaking to the panel
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Mr. Chan Aye, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar: “In the recent days, the authorities concerned have been paying attention to maintaining law and order in the country. The authorities have been exercising utmost restraint to deal with violent protests”.
18. Wide of Assembly Hall briefing
19. Close of Mr. Chan Aye, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, speaking on screen.
20. UN logo
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC , OHCHR
Human Rights Council (HRC) - Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran launches its latest report.
2
1
1
Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC
Senior human rights investigators reporting to the Human Rights Council alleged on Thursday that sexual and gender-based violence by Israeli security forces against Palestinian men, women and children have been increasingly used “as a method of war” following the 7 October 2023 attacks that sparked the Gaza war.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF
Bangladesh: Humanitarians describe ‘extreme desperation’ as aid cuts deepen Rohingya children’s suffering
In Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar refugee settlements, child malnutrition has surged and cuts in aid funding risk creating a humanitarian “catastrophe”, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday gave an update on the situation in Syria’s coastal region as reports continue to emerge of the distressing scale of violence there since 6 March.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR
The aid response in Burundi to the crisis in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) “is literally buckling”, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, warned on Friday, as it relayed dramatic testimonies from people forced to flee the unchecked advance of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR
Close to 80,000 have fled DR Congo amid fighting, sexual violence: UNHCR
In the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), insecurity and horrific sexual violence have pushed tens of thousands to flee across borders with no sign of the exodus stopping, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his global update to the Human Rights Council, highlighting key issues and trends, and the human rights situation in more than 30 countries.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
The UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk told the Human Rights Council in Geneva that the human rights situation in Myanmar was among the worst in the world.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF
Haiti: Massive surge in child armed group recruitment – UNICEF
The ongoing emergency in Haiti is crushing children’s chances of an education and a better future as scores of youngsters are recruited by heavily armed and violent gangs, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk today called on UN member states to act with urgency towards a ceasefire and to ease the suffering of the Sudanese people.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
“We are at an inflection point in the crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” the UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk told the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | HRC
Investigators tasked by the UN Human Rights Council to track alleged grave abuses of power by top Nicaraguan officials on Wednesday insisted that the International Court of Justice should prosecute what they called the systematic and systemic repression of the country’s people.