49th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council
Item 4: Interactive dialogue on the report of the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in Myanmar (HRC res. 46/21)
Delivered by Khin Ohmar
On behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
21 March 2022
Mr. President,
We welcome the High Commissioner’s report and her continued attention on the ongoing human rights and humanitarian catastrophe in Myanmar.
More than a year after the Myanmar military launched its attempt to seize power, the people of Myanmar continue their courageous and united resistance and defense of their democracy. The civil disobedience movement with the participation of over 400,000 civil servants who refused to work under the military, general strikes, street protests, boycott of military products and self-defense measures, as well as the formation of new autonomous local administrations alongside the existing parallel administrations in ethnic areas have effectively prevented the military from taking control of the country.
Having so far failed to impose its rule over the territory and population, the military continues to intensify its cruel and brutal attacks on the people of Myanmar with indiscriminate airstrikes, shelling, massacres, burning down of villages, torture, and sexual and gender-based violence. In addition, the military continues to block humanitarian aid to over 880,000 displaced people across the country while attacking medical facilities and medical and humanitarian workers.
As the High Commissioner’s report indicates, the military’s atrocities bear all hallmarks of war crimes and crimes against humanity under international law.
The international community bears partial responsibility for emboldening the Myanmar military to continue to commit these grave international crimes by repeatedly failing to hold them accountable and facilitating their impunity.
Madam High Commissioner, can you elaborate on effective measures the Council and the international community should take to initiate criminal prosecutions of Myanmar military leaders for committing genocide against the Rohingya and war crimes and crimes against humanity against the people of Myanmar?
Thank you
**
For the PDF version of this statement, click here.
