The World Must Follow South Korea’s Protection Precedent
The people of Myanmar expect and deserve the international community’s support as they collectively strive to end military tyranny and establish an inclusive federal democracy. This support must include the world’s recognition of the NUG as their legitimate interim government.
Last week, the Representative Office of the National Unity Government (NUG) in South Korea announced that it has processed over 1,000 Myanmar passport renewals in recent months. By accepting these renewals, South Korea has set a groundbreaking precedent that shows the crucial and positive role that international governments can play in protecting Myanmar people who are seeking temporary stay in their respective countries to escape from the junta’s terror campaign. Going forward, to support the Myanmar people’s collective efforts to end military tyranny and establish federal democracy, the international community must increase formal engagements and collaboration with the NUG—the legitimate interim government of Myanmar—and ensure legal protection for Myanmar people in their territories.
Over the last four months, despite threats from the junta, the NUG Representative Office in South Korea has been renewing the passports of Myanmar nationals. One Myanmar national told Mizzima, that the South Korean Immigration Department has accepted the NUG’s passport renewal stamps and allowed extensions of visas and work permits. Furthermore, South Korea currently allows visa extensions for up to two years “on humanitarian grounds” for Myanmar nationals with expired passports following the junta’s refusal to renew the passports of Myanmar expats in South Korea who have been active in resisting the junta’s illegal coup attempt and defending democracy.
For those who’ve fled the junta’s war of terror, it has proven nearly impossible to renew their passports. The junta either refuses to renew their passports or only does so after conducting invasive background checks or forcing applicants to pledge to stay non-political. Furthermore, the junta has made it extremely dangerous for individuals to return to Myanmar for passport renewals. Even if their passport is renewed in-country, the junta may bar them from leaving again, or will otherwise forcibly conscript, arrest, torture, or imprison them—as laid bare by the terrifying fate of at least 120 migrant workers who were forcibly returned to Myanmar from Thailand and then forcibly conscripted.
By accepting these renewals, South Korea is fulfilling its international obligation to protect civilians by allowing Myanmar people to maintain valid passports without being forced to return and face the junta’s violence in Myanmar. In this way, South Korea has set an example for the international community. Their action shows the crucial role and inherent capacity that governments, especially those of Myanmar’s neighboring countries, must leverage to protect Myanmar people—not only from repercussions under local immigration law abroad, but also from the junta’s countrywide terror campaign. Similar protections for Myanmar people from the international community include access to temporary legal status, long-term visas, work permits, and scholarships.
Over the past three and a half years, the NUG has been warmly welcomed to establish official representative offices in at least eight countries, including Australia, the Czech Republic, France, Japan, Norway, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The opening of these offices has fortified the NUG’s formal diplomacy around the world and further amplified the needs, aspirations, and collective efforts of Myanmar’s peoples. These countries have taken a concrete and pragmatic step in the right direction, as Myanmar people are entitled to have legitimate representation around the world.
The opening of these offices has fortified the NUG’s formal diplomacy around the world and further amplified the needs, aspirations, and collective efforts of Myanmar’s peoples. These countries have taken a concrete and pragmatic step in the right direction, as Myanmar people fully deserve to have legitimate representatives of their country around the world.
In Southeast Asia, the Government of Timor-Leste stands out for its steadfast and principled support for the people of Myanmar through its recognition of the NUG. In a continuation of its relations with the NUG, President of Timor-Leste Jose Ramos-Horta met with the NUG Minister of Foreign Affairs in July 2023 and June 2024, with the aim of strengthening bilateral relations.
The people of Myanmar expect and deserve the international community’s support as they collectively strive to end military tyranny and establish an inclusive federal democracy. This support must include the world’s recognition of the NUG as their legitimate interim government.
Going forward, the international community must increase formal engagement and collaboration with the NUG and Myanmar’s other legitimate democracy stakeholders, including ethnic resistance organizations and federal units such as the Interim Executive Council of Karenni State. This collaboration must focus on meeting the protection needs and improving the well-being of all Myanmar people, including through cross-border humanitarian assistance for those throughout Myanmar who are fleeing the junta’s violence.
The people of Myanmar need and deserve the protection of international governments against the junta’s terror campaign, as required under international law. This includes following South Korea’s example of accepting the NUG’s passport renewals, as well as granting visa extensions or other legal protections on humanitarian grounds. Moreover, as the junta attempts to force Myanmar migrant workers to return for forced conscription, the governments of neighboring countries in particular must comply with their international obligations to respect the principle of non-refoulement and protect Myanmar people through accessible legal pathways to remain and live in their territories without fear.
South Korea’s concrete and prudent action, in line with the NUG’s fulfilment of its duty as the legitimate interim government of Myanmar, demonstrates that civilian protection and support for human rights and democracy are entirely possible with genuine political will. What is the rest of the world waiting for to lend such crucial protection and support to the people of Myanmar?
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[1] One year following the 1988 pro-democracy uprising, the former military junta changed the country’s name from Burma to Myanmar overnight. Progressive Voice uses the term ‘Myanmar’ in acknowledgement that most people of the country use this term. However, the deception of inclusiveness and the historical process of coercion by the former State Peace and Development Council military regime into usage of ‘Myanmar’ rather than ‘Burma’ without the consent of the people is recognized and not forgotten. Thus, under certain circumstances, ‘Burma’ is used.
Resources from the past week
Statements and Press Releases
By Council of the European Union
The plight of the Rohingya must not be allowed to slip from public consciousness
By UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide
Reports
Violation of Media Freedom in October 2024
By Athan – Freedom of Expression Activist Organization
October 2024 – Summary of Monthly Situation Update
By Burma Human Rights Network
Attacks on Health Care in Myanmar (16 – 29 October 2024)
By Insecurity Insight
By Karen Human Rights Group
Progressive Voice is a participatory, rights-based policy research and advocacy organization that was born out of Burma Partnership. Burma Partnership officially ended its work on October 10, 2016 transitioning to a rights-based policy research and advocacy organization called Progressive Voice. For further information, please see our press release “Burma Partnership Celebrates Continuing Regional Solidarity for Burma and Embraces the Work Ahead for Progressive Voice.”
