Sub-title:
Statement on the Foreign Minister’s meeting with UN Special Envoy on Myanmar Dr. Noeleen Heyzer
Description:
"Union Minister of Foreign Affairs Daw Zin Mar Aung welcomed her in-person meeting with the
UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Myanmar Dr. Noeleen Heyzer on 2 June 2023.
In a broad discussion, the Foreign Minister accepted Dr. Heyzer's decision to conclude her
assignment and expressed the National Unity Government’s appreciation for her commitment to
her mandate.
Dr. Heyzer brought considerable energy and experience to her role and made determined efforts,
particularly in pursuing humanitarian assistance for communities in desperate need and in elevating
Myanmar women’s voices.
Yet, as Dr. Hezyer concedes, the significant obstacles she faced as Special Envoy were made worse
by a lack of international resolve on Myanmar. Consequently, during her term the illegal military
junta escalated its widespread atrocities, ignored UN Security Council and General Assembly
demands, and frustrated efforts to implement ASEAN’s Five Point Consensus.
In recent weeks, the junta has also prevented UN agencies from delivering aid to communities
devastated by Cyclone Mocha including in Rakhine state, with UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights Volker Turk stating that the 'damage and loss of life was both foreseeable and avoidable -
and is clearly linked with the systematic denial of human rights’. This exposes the junta’s ongoing
weaponisation of aid for military gain and its sustained persecution of the Rohingya.
It is therefore time for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to take the lead on Myanmar. The
gravity of the situation and the vacuum created by the Special Envoy’s departure requires the
Secretary-General's use of his own good offices.
Over two years ago, the Secretary-General affirmed the 'unwavering support of the United Nations
to the people of Myanmar in their pursuit of democracy, peace, human rights and the rule of law'.
This must see the Secretary-General personally prioritise the stopping of the slaughter and a
political solution that upholds the Myanmar people’s democratic will..."
Source/publisher:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Myanmar - NUG
Date of Publication:
2023-06-03
Date of entry:
2023-06-03
Grouping:
- Individual Documents
Category:
Countries:
Myanmar
Language:
English
Local URL:
Format:
pdf
Size:
35.98 KB
Resource Type:
text
Text quality:
- Good