Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on the Report of the Secretary-General
“A Brief and Independent Inquiry into the Involvement of the United Nations in Myanmar from 2010 to 2018”
Statement as Delivered by Delaney Felker
Delegation of the United States of America
Human Rights Council – 49th Session
March 18, 2022
Mr. Assistant Secretary General, we share concerns about the ongoing escalation of violence and the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. We strongly condemn the military’s egregious human rights abuses against the people of Myanmar, such as those involving the excessive use of force, including through airstrikes.
We are deeply troubled by credible reporting of the detention, torture, and killing of journalists, as well as information access restrictions.
The military’s crackdown on independent media deprives the people of Myanmar of life-saving information, especially during COVID-19. We are also deeply concerned with the military’s continued actions against healthcare facilities and personnel, which severely exacerbate the humanitarian crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic in Myanmar.
The growing crisis requires greater action by all Member States and the UN Security Council to pressure the military to cease violence, release all those unjustly detained, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and restore Myanmar’s democratic transition, including by imposing an arms embargo on the military and ensuring justice and accountability.
Question: Mr. Assistant Secretary General, what actions can Member States and the UN take to hold the military accountable?
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Thank you.