UNITED NATIONS (AP) – Myanmar’s UN Ambassador fiercely opposed the military coup in his country, calling for the “strongest possible action by the international community” to immediately restore democracy in dramatic speech to the General Assembly from the UN on Friday, which garnered loud applause from many. diplomats in the global body of 193 countries.
Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun began his statement by saying that in November he represented Aung San Suu Kyi’s ‘popularly elected civilian government’ and supported their fight for the end of military rule.
He urged all countries to issue public statements strongly condemning the military coup, refusing to recognize the military regime and asking his leaders to hold the free and fair elections held in November by Suu Kyi’s NLD party. have been won. He also pushed for stronger international action to stop security forces’ violence against peaceful protesters.
“It is time for the military to immediately relinquish power and release those arrested,” said Tun, in agreement with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, “that a military coup is not acceptable in this modern world. and that the coup must stop. “
“We will continue to fight for a government that is of the people, by the people, for the people,” he swore.
Tun’s surprising statement drew not only applause but praise from speaker after speaker at the meeting, including ambassadors representing the European Union, the Organization for Islamic Cooperation and the new US ambassador, Linda Thomas Greenfield, who joined others by describing it with words like ‘brave’. , “Powerful” and “brave”.
In her first appearance at the meeting since delivering her credentials to Guterres on Thursday, Thomas-Greenfield said the United States is “in solidarity” with the people of Myanmar protesting the coup in the streets. And she echoed President Joe Biden’s warning that “we will show the military that their actions have consequences” and demand that the military “give up power immediately.”
In a tweet later, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken referred to Myanmar by its former name Burma, saying, “The United States praises Ambassador Tun’s bold and straightforward statement” and by those in Burma who are making their voices heard. We must all respond to their call to restore democracy in Burma. ”
The meeting was convened to hear a briefing from UN Special Envoy to Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, who said it is time to “raise the alarm” about the coup and the military overriding democratic processes, the constitution violates, reverses and implements reforms. instituted by Suu Kyi, formerly the de facto head of government, and arrest of peaceful protesters, representatives of civil society and members of the media.
She pointed to restrictions on Internet and communication services and the detention of about 700 people, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners in Myanmar, calling “the use of deadly force and the increasing number of deaths unacceptable”.
The huge protests in the country are not about a fight between Suu Kyi’s NLD party and the military, she said, “it is a battle without weapons.”
Schraner Burgener addressed diplomats in the General Assembly chamber via video link, urging “all of you to jointly send out a clear signal in support of democracy in Myanmar”.
Myanmar’s military takeover on February 1 shocked the international community and reversed years of slow progress towards democracy. Suu Kyi’s party was said to have been installed that day for a second five-year term, but the military blocked parliament and detained her, President Win Myint and other top members of its government.
Myanmar’s military says it has taken power because last November’s election was marked by widespread voting irregularities, a claim refuted by the state election commission, whose members have since been replaced by the ruling junta. The junta has said it will rule under a state of emergency for a year and hold new polls thereafter.
Schraner Burgener told the General Assembly that “democratically elected representatives could be sworn in under the constitution on February 4 and have formed the committee representing Pyidaungu Hluttaw, known as CRPH,” and are trying to “fulfill their obligations to serve the people.” voted for them. “
Myanmar’s ambassador, Tun, began his remarks before the meeting by reading a statement from the CRPH stressing the legitimacy of the election results, stating that the military was overthrowing the democratically elected government, citing mass opposition of the people, stressing that it was not the time for the international community to tolerate the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Myanmar military. “
The CRPH, which said it represented some 80 members of parliament, asked the UN, the Security Council and the international community “who will strive to build a peaceful and civilized global society to use all the means necessary to take action against the military of Myanmar and to provide safety and security. for the people of Myanmar. “
China’s UN Ambassador Zhang Jun, whose neighbor has invested billions of dollars in Myanmar and is its largest trading partner, called on all sides to deal with the differences through dialogue “within the constitutional and legal framework,” “to avoid violence” and to continue to promote the domestic democratic transformation process in an orderly manner. “
Never mentioning the military or a coup d’état, describing what was happening in Myanmar as “essentially Myanmar’s internal affairs”, he said the international community should help the parties “bridge their differences and solve problems.”
Zhang supported the efforts of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations to which Myanmar belongs, “by taking an active role in easing the current state of affairs.” ASEAN countries are discussing holding an informal meeting of foreign ministers and “we look forward to their early convening based on consensus, providing a useful platform and opportunity to promote problem solving,” said he.