Ban Ki-moon asks UN, Southeast Asian nations to take strong action against military Junta

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday urged the UN and the Southeast Asian countries to take “strong action” against the military Junta in Myanmar that has launched a violent and deadly crackdown against the civilians since the Feb 1 coup. At a Security Council meeting, Moon said that his wish to make a diplomatic visit to the Southeast Asian country was turned down. The ex-secretary general of the UN exhorted the UN Security Council to take immediate action to tackle the political upheaval, and casualties within the country and protect civilians with a “range of tools at the council’s disposal.” 

Moon condemned the UN’s and international organizations’ “inaction in the face of serious human rights abuses.” Furthermore, he asked the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which is due to conduct a meeting on Myanmar’s situation, to send a high-level delegation to Myanmar to tackle the military’s oppression. He berated the foreign powers for citing “noninterference in Myanmar’s domestic affairs,” for not taking strict measures against the military Junta. Moon asked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to indulge in Myanmar’s affairs and engage directly with the Burmese military. 

“The United Nations and its regional partners now have a fleeting window to cooperate through strong action to halt the ongoing atrocities in Myanmar and prevent a further escalation of violence,” Moon said at a virtual live-streamed Security Council meeting about the UN’s cooperation with various regional organizations.

700 anti-coup protesters killed

Myanmar’s military Junta has killed as many as 700 anti-coup protesters in the deadliest crackdowns, according to Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Thus far, more than 3,100 pro-government demonstrators have been taken under arbitrary detention. Although, last week, Myanmar’s military junta leader pardoned at least 23,047 prisoners, whom he released from the detention cells, including 137 foreigners now waiting to be deported. It, however, remains unclear if all 23, 047 prisoners are the anti-coup protesters that were arrested by the armed forces as a part of the anti-dissent crackdown. The prisoners were freed as a ‘goodwill gesture’ as Myanmar marks the Burmese New Year, State broadcaster MRTV reported. The pro-democracy protesters also maintained low-key civil disobedience against the military through the Buddhist New Year as they celebrated the five-day Thingyan or ‘Water Festival’.