Noeleen Heyzer held direct talks with military chief, however was unable to satisfy jailed civilian chief Aung San Suu Kyi.
The United Nations’ particular envoy on Myanmar has referred to as for an finish to violence and the discharge of all political prisoners on her first go to to the troubled nation since her appointment final yr.
The army seized energy in February 2021, hours earlier than the nation’s new parliament was as a consequence of sit, detaining elected chief Aung San Suu Kyi and members of her civilian authorities.
Since then, Aung San Suu Kyi has been tried and jailed on a slew of prices and nonetheless faces many extra, whereas 1000's of anti-coup activists have been arrested. Some 2,215 folks have been killed within the army’s crackdown on its opponents, in line with the Help Affiliation for Political Prisoners, which has been monitoring the violence.
Late final month, the army regime executed 4 political activists in Myanmar’s first use of the loss of life penalty in additional than 30 years. Among the many lifeless was Phyo Zeya Thaw, a former legislator from Aung San Suu Kyi’s Nationwide League for Democracy occasion.
UN Envoy Noeleen Heyzer met coup chief Min Aung Hlaing on Wednesday and Heyzer’s workplace mentioned she had “immediately urged” him “to impose a moratorium on all future executions”. She additionally referred to as for a direct finish to the violence and the discharge of all political prisoners, together with former Aung San Suu Kyi adviser Sean Turnell, an Australian economist.
UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq mentioned whereas Heyzer had requested to satisfy Aung San Suu Kyi, she had not been in a position to take action.
He described the assembly between Heyzer and the military chief as “a very good dialogue” and mentioned the UN will see whether or not her key calls for shall be carried out. The UN will “proceed to push on these factors,” he added.
Diplomatic efforts to resolve the disaster, led largely by the Affiliation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), have made little progress, with the generals refusing to ship on a peace plan that was agreed upon final yr.
Even whereas Heyzer was in Myanmar, a spokesperson for the army administration lashed out on the 10-member group for excluding its generals from regional gatherings, accusing it of caving to “exterior strain”.
Some members of ASEAN, which Myanmar joined in 1997, not too long ago indicated that the group may very well be compelled to go additional if the army continues to stall.
Talking at a daily press convention, spokesperson Zaw Min Tun rubbished ASEAN’s strikes.
“If a seat representing a rustic is vacant, then it shouldn't be labelled an ASEAN summit,” Zaw Min Tun mentioned.
“What they need is for us to satisfy and speak with the terrorists,” he mentioned, utilizing the generals’ label for pro-democracy actions which have taken up arms in opposition to the army.
In a gathering with Heyzer, the military-appointed international minister referred to as on the world physique to “constructively and pragmatically evaluate its method in its cooperation with Myanmar”, in line with a press release.
Singaporean sociologist Heyzer was appointed by UN Secretary-Normal Antonio Guterres final yr, changing Swiss diplomat Christine Schraner Burgener, who had been blocked from visiting Myanmar.
Schraner Burgener had referred to as for the UN to take “very sturdy measures” in opposition to the army and was the goal of standard assaults in Myanmar’s state-backed media.
State-run MRTV tv reported on Heyzer’s go to, saying the envoy and Min Aung Hlaing exchanged views on selling belief and cooperation between Myanmar and the United Nations. It didn't present any particulars on the talks, which befell in Myanmar’s capital, Naypyidaw.
Heyzer pressured within the assertion as she left Myanmar that “UN engagement doesn't in any method confer legitimacy” on the army’s administration.
“The folks of Myanmar have the best to democracy and self-determination free from concern and wish, which is able to solely be attainable by the great will and efforts of all stakeholders in an inclusive course of,” she mentioned.
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