United Nations Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the Secretary-General “strongly condemns” recent attacks by the Myanmar military in Rakhine State and Sagaing Region that are believed to have claimed many civilian lives.
“The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the widening ramifications in the region about the deteriorating situation in Myanmar and reiterated his call for a unified approach,” Mr. Dujarric said.
Conflict in Myanmar
Myanmar’s Rakhine State has seen increased violence between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army leaving tens of thousands of people homeless.
Many of the attacks are believed to have targeted the Muslim Rohingya minority, who have lived in Rakhine for generations but were denied full citizenship. Hundreds of thousands of people were forced to flee to Bangladesh from there in 2017 following a crackdown by government forces.
Targeting the ethnic Rakhine people in Western Myanmar and the ongoing persecution of the Rohingya, highlight the need to protect all communities.
During the attacks, several members of this community were beheaded and their homes burned. Recent data from the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) revealed that about 226,000 people in this community have had to leave their homes because of violence people in need of resettlement.
Furthermore, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) previously reported cases of “shooting at villagers fleeing unarmed” and disappearances in Myanmar.
The country is now recognized as one famine hotspots where “severe food insecurity is likely to worsen in the coming months.”
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Mr. Dujarric said that recent incidents “targeting ethnic Rakhine people in Western Myanmar and the ongoing persecution of the Rohingya people, emphasizes the need to protect all communities.”
He said that aerial bombings and human rights violations were continuously reported in many places in Myanmar and “those responsible must be held accountable”.
Furthermore, he said the Secretary-General “calls on all parties to the conflict to exercise maximum restraint, prioritize the protection of civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law and prevent further incitement of tension and violence.” common force”.
Mr. Dujarric said the Secretary General is calling on member states and relevant parties support his newly appointed Special Envoy, Julie Bishop as she works to promote sustainable peace through close cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and neighboring countries.
