United States: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has passed a landmark resolution ordering Myanmar’s ruling military junta to release all political prisoners, including deposed State Counselor Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi and former President Mr. Win Myint.
UNSC Resolution 2669 on Myanmar expressed “deep concern at the ongoing state of emergency imposed by the military,” and stressed on the need to resolve the long-standing issues.
The resolution also called for greater humanitarian assistance for victims of violence, with emphasis on women, children and displaced populations, including the Rohingya Muslims.
“Today we’ve sent a firm message to the military that they should be in no doubt – we expect this resolution to be implemented in full,” Britain’s UN Ambassador Ms. Barbara Woodward remarked after the vote on the resolution.
“We’ve also sent a clear message to the people of Myanmar that we seek progress in line with their rights, their wishes and their interests,” Ms. Woodward added. The resolution was proposed by Britain and passed with 12 votes in favor, none against, and three abstentions from China, India, and Russia.
US Ambassador Ms. Linda Thomas-Greenfield observed that “with this resolution, the international community demands that Burma’s military regime cease its horrific violence, immediately release those arbitrarily detained, allow unhindered humanitarian access, protect minority groups.”
According to Ms. Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, the “resolution is a momentous step on behalf of the people of Myanmar, opening the door toward holding Myanmar’s brutal generals to account.”
The political crisis in Myanmar began since the army took power from Ms. Suu Kyi’s elected government in 2021, imprisoning her and other officials and responding to pro-democracy protests and dissent with lethal force.