Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis
Senior Advisor for Special Political Affairs
New York, New York
June 18, 2021

AS DELIVERED

Thank you, Mr. President, for convening this informal meeting, and thank you, Madam Special Envoy, for your sobering briefing. We hope you are able to visit Myanmar soonest.

Since we last met in this hall to discuss the situation in Myanmar, the courageous Myanmar people have continued to make clear that they reject the military coup and do not want to live one more day under the military’s thumb. The United States joins them in condemning the military’s extreme violence and its moves to overturn the will of the people as expressed by the results of the general election in November 2020. We remain steadfast in our support for the people of Myanmar in their aspirations for democracy, peace, development, and respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law.

We unequivocally condemn the security forces’ ongoing attacks on the people of Myanmar. The military must cease all violence, release those unjustly detained, and restore power to the democratically-elected government now. We call on all members of the international community to echo, to amplify this message and to hold the military accountable to ASEAN’s agreed-upon five-point consensus. Immediate, comprehensive implementation of the consensus is sorely needed: every day we allow the military to delay is another day the people of Myanmar suffer.

Every member of this body should also immediately end any material or other support for the military and its campaign of oppression. We urge all countries to prohibit sales of all arms and related security assistance to Myanmar. To do otherwise is to enable the Myanmar security forces’ brutal violence against innocent men, women, and children. We cannot supply the military with instruments of violence and repression.

As part of our strong support for the people of Myanmar, the United States continues to engage with the full range of civil society and pro-democracy groups from Myanmar that seek to restore democratic governance and protect the human rights of all the people of Myanmar – including the National Unity Government. We encourage other members of this body to do so, as well. The United States will continue to work with a broad coalition of international partners to promote accountability for the military’s violence against the people of Myanmar, including for acts of violence following the military coup and previous atrocities and abuses, including against the Rohingya. We call on all members of the international community to join us in this effort.

Finally, Mr. President, we were disappointed that a vote was called on the resolution on which we took action today in our earlier meeting. The international community has demonstrated its unanimous concern towards the military’s actions and its condemnation of the military’s violence through bodies like the UN Security Council and the Human Rights Council. We are proud that the international community has come together repeatedly with one voice on this issue, just as we are proud that this body has spoken today with such strength and clarity.

I thank you.

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