Category: Pacific

In addition, women in detention are also reportedly experiencing sexual harassment and violence, UN-Women said in a statement on Friday.  UN Women Executive Director @phumzileunwomen condemns the violent crackdown in #Myanmar & expresses deep concern over targeted & disproportionate violence against women, calls for respect of the right of women to peaceful assembly & release of all detained https://t.co/Otkhrmnvpe —… Read More

Calling for a united global response, Special Rapporteur, Thomas Andrews said that “the people of Myanmar need not only words of support but supportive action. They need the help of the international community, now”. ‘Wholly insufficient’ According to the independent rights expert, appointed by the Council with a three-year unpaid mandate, Wednesday’s UN Security Council statement expressing ambassadors’ deep concern about developments in Myanmar are welcome… Read More

Addressing a UN regional forum on migration, António Vitorino, Director-General of the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) underlined the key role migrants played before, during and after the worst of the pandemic’s waves.  “From healthcare to logistics, food supply chains to agriculture, and social services, migrants working alongside nationals have risen to the challenge and made a marked contribution… Read More

In a presidential statement, issued on Wednesday by the representative of the United States, Council President for March, the 15-member body also reiterated its call for the immediate release of all those detained arbitrarily, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint.  “The Security Council expresses its continued support for the democratic transition in Myanmar, and stresses… Read More

Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Tomas Ojea Quintana, highlighted “deaths by starvation” linked to a “drastic” decline in trade and commerce, as well as an increase in the number of children and elderly people forced to beg. Severe containment measures had also led to “a number of concerning consequences” that… Read More

Known officially as the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, António Guterres expressed his condolences, “to those who continue to grieve the loss of loved ones. In 2 days we mark the 10th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, Over 18,400 people are dead or missing. This #tsunami evacuation tower in Sendai is a sign of how #Japan has… Read More

According to spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani, OHCHR received information stating that at around 3:15am on Sunday, eight men and one woman were killed in Batangas, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal as police and military executed search warrants issued by a Manila court.  “We are deeply worried that these latest killings indicate an escalation in violence, intimidation, harassment and ‘red-tagging’ of human rights… Read More

According to Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for Secretary-General António Guterres, many of those trapped are women, who were peacefully marching in commemoration of International Women’s Day, on Monday.  The United Nations in #Myanmar is calling for an immediate de-escalation of the situation in Sanchaung, Yangon, and to allow protestors prevented from returning home by security forces to so do safely. pic.twitter.com/eMcWOokBri… Read More

Christine Schraner Burgener welcomed the fact that the Council was meeting behind closed doors on Friday to discuss the rising death toll on the streets as daily protests continue but told Ambassadors that “your unity is needed more than ever on Myanmar”. Power to veto any Security Council statements or resolutions, rests with the five Permanent Members, China, France, Russia,… Read More

In a news release on Thursday, Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews also urged the Council for a referral of the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court “to investigate and prosecute atrocities committed since the coup on 1 February and those committed against ethnic groups in years prior”.  “Every day the military junta in Myanmar unleashes more brutality on peaceful… Read More