HRC 53: Volker Türk Statement on Myanmar

“This Council has heard report after report on the human rights situation in Myanmar. With each successive update, it is almost impossible to imagine that the people of Myanmar can endure more suffering. Yet the country continues its deadly freefall into even deeper violence and heartbreak. -A regime imposed by generals for the last two and a half years has snatched away the optimism that Myanmar’s people once held for peace, democracy, and a more prosperous future,” Türk said.

The High Commissioner described the regime imposed by generals for the last two and a half years as having snatched away the optimism that Myanmar’s people once held for peace, democracy, and a more prosperous future.

“Civilians live at the whim of a reckless military authority that relies on systematic control tactics, fear and terror in the hope of enforcing its ever-diminishing control. Civilians also bear the devastating brunt of the grotesque violence, including against older people, people with disabilities and infants. The situation has become untenable,” he said.

The High Commissioner spoke of brutal attacks by the military in border regions, with increasing numbers of people crossing international frontiers in search of safety and protection. More than one million Rohingya remain in neighboring Bangladesh where they live in the world’s largest refugee camp in deplorable conditions. The conditions for their return to Myanmar are still non-existent. And the military continues to carry out atrocities in their home state of Rakhine, where they are denied citizenship.

Credible sources indicate that as of yesterday, 3,744 individuals have died at the hands of the military since they took power, and 23,670 have been arrested. These figures represent the minimum that can be documented and verified - the true number of casualties is likely to be far higher.

“Every day, the military’s ruthless so-called “four cuts” strategy continues to wreak destruction. Entire villages are razed and burned to the ground, collectively punishing civilians, by depriving them of shelter, food, water, and life-saving aid. Since the coup began, the military has scorched at least 70,000 homes across the country, 70 percent of which were in Sagaing region. Over 1.5 million people have been forcibly displaced with minimal access to humanitarian aid,” Türk said.

Incessant airstrikes and artillery shelling are destroying homes and stealing lives. In the first six months of this year, my Office reported a 33 percent increase in indiscriminate airstrikes compared to the first half of last year, with rising attacks on civilian targets, including villages, schools, hospitals and places of worship.

Artillery attacks have also dramatically increased, with over 563 this year, representing already 80 percent of the total attacks last year. My Office also continues to document repeated violations of the most brutal forms: sexual violence, mass killings, extra-judicial executions, beheadings, dismemberments, and mutilations.

The High Commissioner also appealed to all countries to cease and prevent the supply of arms to the military and to take targeted measures to limit access by generals to foreign currency, aviation fuel and other means that enable attacks on Myanmar’s people.

“The report I present to the Council today focuses on the systematic denial by the military of life-saving humanitarian aid for civilians. They have put in place a raft of legal, financial, and bureaucratic barriers to ensure people in need do not receive and cannot access assistance.

This obstruction of life-saving aid is deliberate and targeted, a calculated denial of fundamental rights and freedoms for large swathes of the population,” Türk said.

In mid-May, when Cyclone Mocha made landfall with devastating effect in Rakhine, Chin, Magway and Sagaing, the military actively prevented independent needs assessments, and obstructed access to information. They suspended all travel authorisations in Rakhine State, eventually allowing distribution of aid to resume if it was not cyclone-related.

“I deplore the direct attacks on humanitarian staff. Local organizations, which provide the vast majority of humanitarian aid, face the greatest risks in carrying out their work. Up to 40 humanitarian workers have been killed and over 200 arrested since the coup,” he said.

“This Council needs to consider how to bring to light the business interests that support the military and keep them afloat,” the High Commissioner stated.

The High Commissioner said the path out of this crisis must be anchored in accountability for the grave human rights violations and other violations of international law that are occurring. He urged the Security Council to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court.

“It is of the utmost urgency that we restore all conditions necessary for Myanmar’s people to find a way out of the heartache, and to live their lives in freedom and safety,” he said in conclusion.

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact:

Ravina Shamdasani - + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org or Marta Hurtado - + 41 22 917 9466 / marta.hurtadogomez@un.org or Jeremy Laurence + +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org