Myanmar: Rights expert calls for ‘COVID ceasefire’, urges UN action

2 years ago 356

The UN autarkic adept connected the quality rights concern successful Myanmar on Tuesday called for a “COVID ceasefire” for the country, as infections and deaths soar even arsenic the subject junta escalates attacks against healthcare workers.

Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews said junta forces person engaged successful astatine slightest 260 attacks against aesculapian unit and facilities, resulting successful astatine slightest 18 deaths. Meanwhile, implicit 600 wellness attraction professionals are presently eluding outstanding apprehension warrants, and astatine slightest 67 person been detained.

No clip for complacency

He urged the Security Council and Member States “to usage each the tools of the UN”, including adopting resolutions, to request Myanmar’s subject rulers, known officially arsenic the State Administrative Council (SAC), halt each attacks, peculiarly against healthcare professionals.

“Too galore successful Myanmar person needlessly perished and excessively galore much volition dice without enactment by the United Nations”, helium warned.

“Member States of the United Nations cannot spend to beryllium complacent portion the junta ruthlessly attacks aesculapian unit arsenic COVID-19 spreads unchecked. They indispensable enactment to extremity this unit truthful that doctors and nurses tin supply life-saving attraction and planetary organisations tin assistance present vaccinations and related aesculapian care.”

Resolution connected ceasefires

Myanmar’s military seized powerfulness successful February, sparking countless pro-democracy protests crossed the state which were met with convulsive crackdowns, and wide quality rights abuses.

Mr. Andrews said the junta has murdered astatine slightest 931 people, portion immoderate 5,630 others are being held successful arbitrary detention wherever they are astatine hazard of coronavirus infection. Another 255 radical person been sentenced for “trumped up crimes”, helium added, with 26, including 2 minors, being sentenced to death.

In February, the Security Council passed a solution calling for ceasefires successful each struggle areas truthful that COVID-19 vaccinations could instrumentality place, and to let harmless and unhindered entree for humanitarians and aesculapian personnel.

Attacks indispensable end

“This solution represented a principled model to code the outbreak of COVID-19 successful States experiencing unrestrained violence.  Given this escalating crisis, these demands indispensable present beryllium focused specifically connected Myanmar.  Doing truthful volition prevention untold numbers of lives,” said Mr. Andrews.

“Of course, the champion result would beryllium for the junta to basal down truthful that a morganatic civilian authorities tin pb a coordinated effect to the COVID-19 crisis,” helium added.

“But successful the contiguous term, the junta’s relentless attacks and detentions indispensable end. For this to beryllium possible, the radical of Myanmar request the UN and its Member States to measurement up with strong, principled action.”