UN Human Rights Council 50: Interactive Dialogue on Myanmar
Rita French, UK Ambassador for Human Rights, delivered a statement on behalf of the UK during the High Commissioner’s oral update on Myanmar.
Thank you, Mr President.
Thank you, High Commissioner, for your update and for your continued efforts as you fulfil your mandate.
We have long condemned the military regime in Myanmar and its use of violence against those fighting to restore democracy.
The human rights situation continues to deteriorate. Since the coup, the military has launched brutal offensives across Myanmar, all too often leading to mass displacement. Its use of indiscriminate airstrikes against civilians has destroyed villages, homes, hospitals, schools and places of worship. All human rights violations and abuses must end.
We are deeply alarmed by the increase in arson attacks by the security forces since the coup, with over one hundred villages deliberately burnt down. The resemblance to the 2017 clearance operations in Rakhine is there for all to see. We raised these concerns at the UN Security Council on 27 May and we raise them again today. We must do all we can to prevent further atrocities.
High Commissioner,
International arms flows have facilitated these grave violations. What more can the international community do to halt the flow of arms to Myanmar?