Myanmar: Oral statement at the United Nations Human Rights Council

04/07/2024
Statement
© FIDH

On 4 July 2024, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) prepared a statement at the 56th session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council for the Interactive Dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar. The statement urged Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states, particularly Thailand, not to lend political legitimacy to the junta and to immediately halt all commercial operations profiting the junta by private and public entities in their jurisdictions. Read the statement below.

UN Human Rights Council – 56th session

Item 4: Interactive Dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar

4 July 2024

Mister President,

FIDH and its member organizations ALTSEAN-Burma and Women’s Peace Network thank the Special Rapporteur for his oral update.

The number of political prisoners in Myanmar is growing - we again call for their release amid increasing reports of serious abuses against them. Meanwhile, the junta’s forced recruitment is fueling more human rights violations.

If the junta is not stopped, the number of airstrikes, overwhelmingly targeting civilians, is set to double this year. During January to May alone, the junta launched 592 airstrikes, compared to 663 for the whole of last year.

Atrocities against Rohingya by the junta and the Arakan Army have accelerated in Rakhine State. Rohingya youth are being forced to join the same army that has been committing atrocity crimes against their families. Rohingya people are being pulled, against their will, into both sides of an escalating conflict that has displaced hundreds of thousands, including the people of Buthidaung.

The impunity must stop. We reiterate our call on UN member states to extend their full support to the Special Rapporteur and the International Investigative Mechanism on Myanmar, including by granting them access to their territories for official visits.

We urge the governments of ASEAN, particularly Thailand, not to lend political legitimacy to the junta and to immediately halt all commercial operations profiting the junta by private and public entities in their jurisdictions.

Thank you.

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