mmnewyork.org

During the 53rd regular session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, held from 19 June to 14 July 2023, a series of meetings on Myanmar were organized at the absence of the country-concerned which has deviated from the principles and objectives of the Council.

 

A panel discussion was held on 21 June 2023 as per the resolution tabled by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) while two separate Interactive Dialogues with the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar were organized on 6 July 2023 as per the resolution tabled by the European Union (EU). Furthermore, Pakistan on behalf of the OIC submitted a resolution contained in document no. A/HRC/53/L.30/Rev.1 was adopted by the Council on 14 July 2023.

 

Myanmar notes with serious concerns over the panel discussion and the recently adopted resolution themselves amounted to hate speech against the people of Myanmar and provoked divisions among multicultural and multi-ethnic society of Myanmar. Neglecting the root causes of 2017 incident in Northern Rakhine State will never reflect on-ground situation in reality. Even though one-sided narratives were created through different platforms of the Council, clashes and armed attacks by Aqa Mul Mujahidin aka ARSA in the camps in Cox’s Bazar prove their terrorist acts which made forced displacement from northern Rakhine State in 2017 and prevent the repatriation process until now. Myanmar does not recognize the invented term “Rohingya” as it has never existed in legal and historical records of the country.

 

The presentation of the High Commissioner for Human Rights focuses on humanitarian affairs, mainly covered by a specific UN Office. It shows repetition of work going beyond his mandate. The allegation on the denial of humanitarian access which is reflected in the report of the High Commissioner is not accurate. The Government of Myanmar has granted travel authorizations for 62 visits of embassies including EU delegation in Myanmar along with 46 visits by the UN agencies and 10 visits made by the AHA Centre from 2021 to 2023. Additionally, over 60 times of travel authorizations to the World Food Programme (WFP), over 80 times to INGOs and over 500 times to International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were granted by the Rakhine State Government.

 

It is disturbing to see that the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar has made his presentation with the purpose to isolate Myanmar. The Special Rapporteur has been given ill-suited mandate by the EU and western sponsors to produce limitless documents and presentations with attempts to discredit the Government. The Special Rapporteur further conceals the brutal crimes committed by the so-called NUG and PDF terrorist groups which claimed the lives of 6,091 innocent civilians.  He further calls on the member states to impose sanctions on Myanmar’s state-owned enterprises which greatly contribute to public services. It simply means to hurt the people and violates the right to development of Myanmar.

 

Furthermore, Myanmar strongly objects the reference to the Security Council and International Criminal Court (ICC) in respective reports and the resolution, published and adopted at the 53rd HRC as the developments in Myanmar are solely internal affairs and do not pose any risk to international peace and security.

 

Myanmar consistently opposes country-specific resolutions and mandates as well as their follow-up Interactive Dialogues and the panel discussions as their modalities do not create objective reporting, constructive dialogue and cooperation between the country- concerned and the international community. Accordingly, Myanmar rejects the unfounded allegations and intrusive elements contained in the respective reports and in the statements made by certain countries while appreciating the balanced and constructive interventions made by the friendly countries during the session. Myanmar further joins the countries which disassociated themselves from the adoption of the resolution.

 

Even though the afore-said dialogues and meetings were made in its absence, Myanmar has made its specific responses which can be found on the websites of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Mission of Myanmar in Geneva.

 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Nay Pyi Taw

14  July 2023