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Christine Schraner Burgener calls for unified action, asking “How much more can we allow the Myanmar military to get away with it?”
The United Nations special envoy to Myanmar on Friday urged the UN Security Council to take immediate action to stop the deadly violence by the military against peaceful protesters and restore democracy after last month’s coup.
Christine Schraner Burgener called on the council for “unified action” and asked “how much more can we allow the Myanmar military to get away with it?” after the deaths of dozens of civilian protesters this week.
He said that the situation in Myanmar was heading towards “an acute humanitarian crisis.”
“It is critical that this council be resolute and consistent in alerting the security forces and strongly supporting the people of Myanmar, in support of the clear results of the November elections,” said Schraner Burgener.
The UN Security Council has expressed concern about the state of emergency imposed by the Myanmar military, but fell short of condemning the coup due to opposition from Russia and China.
“All parties should exercise the utmost calm and restraint, refrain from escalating tensions or use violence, and avoid any incidents of bloodshed,” said China’s ambassador to the UN, Zhang Jun. “We do not want to see instability, nor even chaos in Myanmar. “
Schraner Burgener warned again that no country should recognize or legitimize Myanmar’s military government. He urged the Security Council to give its full support to Myanmar’s ambassador to the UN, Kyaw Moe Tun.
Myanmar has been in crisis since the military seized power and detained civilian government leader Aung San Suu Kyi and many of her colleagues from the National League for Democracy (NLD) party on February 1, after the military seized complain of fraud in the November elections.
Myanmar police opened fire on protesters against the coup on Friday, killing one man.
An Aung San Suu Kyi NLD official was also stabbed to death along with her 17-year-old nephew in an apparent mob attack in the central Magwe region, local media reported.
In the main city of Yangon, police fired rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades to disperse protesters who were joined by about 100 doctors in white coats, witnesses said.
Crowds also gathered in Pathein, west of Yangon, and in central Myingyan, where dozens of women in straw hats held signs calling for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi.
A spokesman for Myanmar’s ruling military council did not respond to phone calls seeking comment.
Protesters are seen behind makeshift barricades during a protest in Yangon, Myanmar [Reuters]
Thousands also demonstrated in the southeastern state of Karen, accompanied by fighters from the Karen National Union (KNU), an armed ethnic group engaged in a long-running war with the military.
The KNU said in a statement that it would not tolerate attacks by the army against peaceful protesters.
“People in urban areas, armed ethnic groups and the international community must work together until the military dictatorship falls,” he said.
On Wednesday, the United Nations said 38 people were killed in the bloodiest day of protests. In all, at least 55 people have died since the coup.
UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet demanded that security forces stop what she called their “brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters.” Bachelet said that more than 1,700 people have been arrested, including 29 journalists.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said that some of its volunteers had been injured and unjustly detained and that ambulances had been damaged.
The military seized power claiming that the NLD’s landslide victory in the November elections was fraudulent. The electoral commission has said that the vote was fair.
The military government has promised new elections but has not given a date. The activists rejected the promise and demanded the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been detained since the coup.
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