49th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council
Item 4: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar

Delivered by Khin Ohmar
On behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)

21 March 2022

Mr. President,

We welcome the Special Rapporteur’s report as well as his conference room paper on arms transfers to the military.

The Myanmar military has continued to intensify its systematic and brutal violence as collective retribution against people of Myanmar for their brave resistance to the military and defense of democracy.

Nearly 14 months after the Myanmar military launched its nationwide campaign of violence and terror in an attempt to illegally seize power, it has killed over 1600 people, including women and children, arbitrarily detained over 12000 people, and sentenced 45 people to death, on trumped up charges in politically motivated sham trials. It continues to commit torture, sexual and gender-based violence and killings in custody.

Its continuing violence across the country means conditions remain unsuitable for the safe, voluntary, sustainable, and dignified return of over a million Rohingya refugees, while remaining Rohingya in Rakhine State continue to live in apartheid-like conditions. The international community must provide all necessary support to ensure safety, dignity, and access to essential services for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh as well as all IDPs across Myanmar.

We commend the measures taken by individual States to intensify pressure on the military. However, many States continue to aid and abet the military with provision of weapons, financial and political support and by preventing a unified international response to end the violence.

We call on the UN Security Council to, at minimum, impose a comprehensive global arms embargo on Myanmar and refer Myanmar to the International Criminal Court. Any State that prevents such actions remains complicit in the military’s atrocities.

Finally, an inclusive and durable solution in accordance with the will of the people of Myanmar must begin with international recognition of the National Unity Government as the legitimate representative of Myanmar.

Thank you.

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