Myanmar junta rivals coup critics for UN Assembly seat | Burma

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The United Nations will face a dilemma when its general assembly meets next week, after Myanmar’s military junta and the country’s shadow national unity government (NUG) launched rival offers to fill the country’s seat.

The Myanmar military, which took power in February, has sought to replace the current representative, Kyaw Moe Tun, a vocal critic of the coup. The junta and the NUG, which were set up in part by ousted politicians, have reportedly filed for nominations with the UN credentials committee.

Anti-coup activists have warned that a move in favor of the military could further embolden the junta, which has used brutal violence against unarmed civilians and is accused of having killed more than 1,000 people since. February. Leaving the seat empty, they say, could undermine the chances of a political solution. Others argue that the appointment of a NUG representative risks isolating the military at a time when regional diplomats are pushing for a ceasefire to provide humanitarian aid.

Junta rule is widely opposed by the public, who launched a movement of civil disobedience after the coup, with many refusing to work under military rule. In recent months, groups of civilians have taken up arms, launching guerrilla-style attacks against military targets and defending their areas from raids by security forces.

The conflict and post-coup unrest left an estimated 176,000 people internally displaced in Myanmar, according to the UN, as the economy collapses and the health system is in crisis.

A legal opinion signed by 11 prominent jurists argues that the NUG representative should be accepted, saying the military has a deplorable human rights record, has largely ignored the condemnation of the UN and others, and that there is no prospect of dialogue.

While the NUG does not have effective territorial control over all of Myanmar’s territory, neither does the junta, he said. It is signed by legal experts including Richard Goldstone, the founding chief prosecutor of the United Nations international criminal tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, Chris Sidoti, member of the Special Advisory Board for Myanmar, Yuyun Wahyuningrum, the representative of Indonesia to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, and Dr Sriprapha Petcharamesree, former Thai representative to the ASEAN Commission.

Official criteria for approving emissaries are vague, but various factors have been considered in past cases, including effective territorial control, democratic legitimacy and respect for international human rights standards, according to the analysis. published by the Myanmar Accountability Project advocacy group.

The UN credentials committee, which will also review Afghanistan’s representation after the Taliban returns to power, may delay a decision. It could mean an empty seat, or it could allow Kyaw Moe Tun to continue on an interim basis.

The junta announced that it had sacked him after his dramatic speech to the general assembly in February, where he called for the strongest possible action by the international community. Last month, two Burmese citizens were arrested in New York City for plotting to kill or injure Kyaw Moe Tun in order to force him to resign his post.

Some observers argue that leaving Myanmar’s chair empty is the more pragmatic solution. An ostracized army would make things difficult for Asean, said Sharon Seah Li-Lian, coordinator of the Center for Asean Studies at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

Asean, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has led efforts to alleviate the crisis, with its envoy, Erywan Yusof, saying last week that the military had accepted his proposal for a ceasefire. -fire until the end of the year to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid. Days later, NUG announced a defensive war against the junta, calling on civilian armed groups to target the military and protect the public.

All eyes [in Myanmar] are on that chair, but I don’t think there will be a decision, Seah said. She said it was highly likely that the committee would postpone the matter and that no updates would be announced until December.

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