Mizzima
On 4 February, Myanmar’s UN representative, Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, warned that the military junta’s atrocities and sham elections are worsening the humanitarian crisis. He urged the United Nations to take decisive action against the junta.
Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun’s statement is as follows.
Madam Chair,
The world is counting down the remaining 1,791 days until we meet our deadline for the SDGs. Yet, we continue to face multifaceted crises increasing in their scale and scope. People across all walks of life, especially the most vulnerable ones, have been enduring these unprecedented challenges as a consequence.
Amongst these challenges, the reversal of global social development is predominant.
Women and children, older persons, people with disabilities, refugees, migrants and those facing the climate crisis as well as those living in conflict situations, to mention a few, are bearing the burdens of our shortcomings.
My country, Myanmar, is a stark example.
The previous elected government prioritized measures to eradicate poverty through economic liberalization, inviting foreign investments, improving rural infrastructure, creating employment opportunities and building individual capacity. These efforts bore fruit during the government’s tenure and people’s living standards were uplifted.
Regrettably, the elected government was overthrown by the illegal military coup on 1 February 2021. This year, we are already marking the 5th year of this unlawful coup attempt.
As our people resisted the coup, the military junta waged a war of terror against the population, and they are committing war crimes and crimes against humanity across the country.
Over 7700 people were killed by the military junta since the coup. 2,600 women, 1,300 children and 2,700 youths are among them.
Today, over 3.6 million people are being displaced, and almost 22 million people remain in need of humanitarian assistance in Myanmar. Among them, nearly 10.4 million are women, girls and LGBTIQ+ individuals.
There is no equality but discrimination, no inclusion but exclusion, no protection but persecution, no decent work but unemployment, no education but indoctrination, no access to fundamental healthcare but a breakdown of the health system. And most of all, it has set the stage for extreme poverty where half the population is living below the national poverty line.
All foundational sectors and pillars of a country have been weaponized in Myanmar under the military dictators, a group of perpetrators who are now organising a sham election to deflect international pressure regarding their brutalities.
It is crystal clear that the sham elections and its manufactured results by the military junta will only prolong the crisis and violence in Myanmar.
Simply put, atrocities are the everyday reality for the people of Myanmar, while social development and social justice seem like a luxury.
However, our people continue to cling to hope.
The National Unity Government of Myanmar together with EROs and CSOs have been carrying out measures to mitigate the people’s suffering through internal coordination, engagement with diverse stakeholders and external support.
Founded on the principle of leaving no one behind, justice and inclusivity, human rights and protection, humanitarian assistance and health and social services, education and youth laid down in our federal principles are placed at the heart of our work.
Therefore, in line with the Doha Programme of Action’s call to invest in people, we have been providing humanitarian assistance to those in need and implementing programmes for capacity building of the existing human resources. Nevertheless, limitations and challenges are on the rise.
In this regard, support from the UN system remains crucial.
The UN must not continue failing the people of Myanmar.
Although time is long overdue, we request once again that the UN act boldly in addressing the issue of Myanmar.
Last but not least, Madam Chair, social development cannot thrive in a vacuum of legitimacy. We cannot talk about ‘resilient economies’ or ‘social contracts’ while the very perpetrators of destruction are allowed to act with impunity. The military junta and its affiliates must be held accountable for atrocities they committed throughout the country.
Only by doing so can we step up to building a federal democratic union in Myanmar that is committed to serving the interests of our people and the world.
Importantly, the UN needs to make principled decisions and translate words into actions.
I thank you.
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