GEVEVA (27 July 2021) – The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar called on the United
Nations Security Council and Member States to push for an emergency “COVID ceasefire” today in light of an explosion of
COVID-19 infections and deaths in Myanmar even as the State Administrative Council (SAC) escalates its attacks against
health care workers.
UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews stressed the urgent need for Member States to use all the tools of the UN, including
passage of resolutions demanding that the SAC immediately cease all attacks, especially against health care
professionals who are desperately needed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic that continues to devastate Myanmar.
“Too many in Myanmar have needlessly perished and too many more will die without action by the United Nations,” Andrews
warned. “The UN must act immediately to halt the military junta’s attacks, harassment, and detentions in the midst of a
COVID-19 crisis.
“Member States of the United Nations cannot afford to be complacent while the junta ruthlessly attacks medical personnel
as COVID-19 spreads unchecked. They must act to end this violence so that doctors and nurses can provide life-saving
care and international organisations can help deliver vaccinations and related medical care,” Andrews said.
“Member States with influence on Myanmar’s State Administrative Council must follow passage of a UN resolution by urging
an immediate cessation of attacks.”
The junta has murdered at least 931 people and is holding at least 5,630 in arbitrary detention where they are in danger
of being infected with the virus. Another 255 people have been sentenced for trumped up crimes, with 26 of them - two of
whom are minors - sentenced to death. According to the UNHCR, there are 570,320 internally displaced persons currently
living in Rakhine, Chin, Kachin, Shan, Kayin, Mon, and Bago states.
Junta forces have engaged in at least 260 attacks against medical personnel and facilities, claiming the lives of at
least 18 people. Over 600 health care professionals are currently eluding outstanding arrest warrants and at least 67
are being held by junta forces.
In February, the UN Security Council passed a strong resolution demanding ceasefires in all States experiencing
conflict. Resolution 2565 demanded “all parties to armed conflicts engage immediately in a durable, extensive, and
sustained humanitarian pause to facilitate the equitable, safe and unhindered delivery and distribution of COVID-19
vaccinations in areas of armed conflict”. The Council further called for “full, safe, and unhindered humanitarian
access, without delay, for humanitarian personnel and medical personnel, their equipment, transport and supplies, in
order to facilitate, inter alia, COVID-19 vaccinations, as appropriate”. It also demanded the “protection, safety, and
security of such humanitarian and medical personnel…”
“This resolution represented a principled framework to address the outbreak of COVID-19 in States experiencing
unrestrained violence. Given this escalating crisis, these demands must now be focused specifically on Myanmar. Doing so
will save untold numbers of lives.”
Andrews concluded: “Of course the best outcome would be for the junta to stand down so that a legitimate civilian
government can lead a coordinated response to the COVID-19 crisis. But in the immediate term, the junta’s relentless
attacks and detentions must end. For this to be possible, the people of Myanmar need the UN and its Member States to
step up with strong, principled action.”
ENDS
Mr. Thomas Andrews (United States of America) is the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar. A former member of the US Congress from Maine, Mr. Andrews is a Robina Senior Human Rights Fellow at Yale Law School and an Associate of Harvard University’s Asia Center. He has worked
with the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs and parliamentarians, NGOs and political parties in
Cambodia, Indonesia, Algeria, Croatia, Serbia, Ukraine and Yemen. He has been a consultant for the National Coalition
Government of the Union of Burma and the Euro-Burma Network and has run advocacy NGOs including Win Without War and
United to End Genocide.