Irrawaddy/AFP-Dec 22
The UN Security Council on Wednesday called for Myanmar’s junta to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as it adopted its first-ever resolution on the situation in the turmoil-ridden Southeast Asian country. The 15-member council has been split on Myanmar for decades and was previously only able to agree on formal statements about the country, which has been under military rule since February 2021. State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, 77, has been a prisoner since the army toppled her government almost two years ago and violently cracked down on dissent. Wednesday’s resolution “urges” the junta to “immediately release all arbitrarily detained prisoners,” including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint. It also demands “an immediate end to all forms of violence” and asks for “all parties to respect human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law.” The adoption marked a moment of relative unity for the council in a year in which divisions have been heightened by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The text was adopted with 12 votes in favor. Permanent members China and Russia abstained, opting not to wield vetoes following amendments to the wording. India also abstained. Diplomats said the only existing UNSC resolution regarding Myanmar was the one the UN passed in 1948 approving the country’s membership to the world body. In 2008, the UNSC failed to adopt a draft resolution on Myanmar after Beijing and Moscow cast vetoes. Then in December 2018, Britain made another attempt following the Rohingya crisis, which saw 700,000 people flee Myanmar to neighboring Bangladesh, but a vote was never held. Britain began circulating a draft text of Wednesday’s resolution in September. Several amendments were made to ensure its passing, UN watchers say. The council had issued one unified statement on Myanmar since the coup ended the country’s brief period of democracy. Read more at: https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/the-world-myanmar/un-security-council-adopts-first-ever-resolution-on-myanmar.html
