UN / MYANMAR GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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18-Jun-2021 00:03:35
The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution which calls on the Myanmar armed forces to immediately stop all violence against peaceful demonstrators and civilians and calls on countries to prevent the flow of arms into the country. UNIFEED

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STORY: UN / MYANMAR GENERAL ASSEMBLY
TRT: 3:35
SOURCE: UNIFEED
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LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 18 JUNE 2021, NEW YORK CITY

SHOTLIST:

FILE – NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, UN headquarters exterior

18 JUNE 2021, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, General Assembly Hall
3. Wide shot, General Assembly President at podium
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Volkan Bozkir, President of the General Assembly, United Nations:
“A system built on brutality and bloodshed will not survive. It is not too late for the military to reverse the negative trajectory on the ground, exercise restraint, and respect the will of its own people. We must raise our voices for those who have been silenced, detained, injured, or killed. We must be ardent advocates for the protection of all fundamental human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and of peaceful assembly, which have been repeatedly infringed upon by the military-led authorities.”
5. Med shot, votes on screen
6. Med shot, results of vote on screen (119 in favour, one against, 36 abstentions)
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Rabab Fatima, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations:
“As a democratic country, Bangladesh cares deeply about the restoration of constitutional order in Myanmar, however any resolution on the country would remain incomplete if it does not recognize the root causes of the Rohingya crisis and make concrete recommendation to address them. Failure by the international community to address the root causes, even after the ethnic cleaning in 2017, has led to a culture of impunity in Myanmar, and we can see that playing out now for other minorities as well.”
8. Wide shot, Special Envoy walking to podium
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Christine Schraner Burgener, Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Myanmar, United Nations:
“The regional threat of the crisis is real. We must continue to call for maximum restraint and condemn all forms of violence. The risk of a large-scale civil war is real.”
10. Wide shot, Special Envoy at podium
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Christine Schraner Burgener, Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Myanmar, United Nations:
“Time is of the essence. The opportunity to reverse the military takeover is narrowing and regional threat increasing. Attempts to discredit democratically elected leaders and eliminate a party which has won a sweeping majority in two consecutive general elections, silencing of free media and arrest of journalists, national and foreign, as well as the blocking of access to information fundamentally point a departure from democratic space. Any sustainable peace must be reflective of the will of the people. Inclusive political dialogue is urgently needed.”
12. Wide shot, Special Envoy at podium
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Christine Schraner Burgener, Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Myanmar, United Nations:
“We must support this important homegrown momentum; help bring together the diverse democratic movement actors with a view to help build coherence as a critical step in any inclusive dialogue. Any transition out of this crisis will present an opportunity to reshape Myanmar's society, free from ethnic divisions and a more inclusive constitutional and legal framework that places the military under civilian control.”
14. Wide shot, Special Envoy at podium

STORYLINE:

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution which calls on the Myanmar armed forces to immediately stop all violence against peaceful demonstrators and civilians and calls on countries to prevent the flow of arms into the country.

The resolution also calls upon the Myanmar armed forces to immediately and unconditionally release President Win Myint, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other government officials and politicians, as well as all those who have been arbitrarily detained, charged or arrested. It also calls upon the Myanmar armed forces to respect the will of the people as freely expressed by the results of the general election of 8 November 2020 and to end the state of emergency.

Speaking prior to the vote, General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir said political turmoil has given way to an increasing militarized Myanmar. He said, from the collapse of civilian rule to arbitrary arrests and indiscriminate attacks against civilians, Myanmar is not a safe place for the people whom the Assembly pledged to serve.

Bozkir said humanitarian needs are growing and communities are being uproots as tens of thousands of people flee violence and humanitarian access remains restricted in all conflict-affected areas.

The President of the General Assembly said the international community must continue to stand united in support of the people of Myanmar, as well as peace and stability in their country. He said, “A system built on brutality and bloodshed will not survive. It is not too late for the military to reverse the negative trajectory on the ground, exercise restraint, and respect the will of its own people. We must raise our voices for those who have been silenced, detained, injured, or killed. We must be ardent advocates for the protection of all fundamental human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and of peaceful assembly, which have been repeatedly infringed upon by the military-led authorities.”

The resolution received 119 votes in favour, one against (Belarus) and 36 abstentions.

The Ambassador of Bangladesh, Rabab Fatima, said while the stability of Myanmar is critically important for Bangladesh in finding a durable solution for the million Rohingya refugees it hosts, the resolution falls short of her country’s expectations and as such it abstained from voting. She said the resolution fails to recognize the urgent need for creating the conditions for the safe voluntary and sustainable return of Rohingyas.

Fatima said, “As a democratic country, Bangladesh cares deeply about the restoration of constitutional order in Myanmar, however any resolution on the country would remain incomplete if it does not recognize the root causes of the Rohingya crisis and make concrete recommendation to address them. Failure by the international community to address the root causes, even after the ethnic cleaning in 2017, has led to a culture of impunity in Myanmar, and we can see that playing out now for other minorities as well.”

Christine Schraner Burgener, UN Special Envoy for Myanmar, briefed the General Assembly follow the adoption of the resolution. She said there can be no business as usual under the current circumstances in Myanmar.

Schraner Burgener said it has now been over 100 days since the coup began, and despite calls by the Secretary-General on the military to respect the will of the people, the killings continue. She added that there is an increased risk of sexual and gender-based violence, particularly by security forces, against anti-coup protesters.

The Special Envoy said, in the absence of international action, civilians are forming people's defence forces, using self-made weapons, and receiving military training from ethnic armed organizations in their resistance.

She said nation-wide clashes have led to the acute, new displacement of around 175,000 civilians and some 10,000 fled to India and Thailand. She added that fighting has also emerged in areas under the 2015 ceasefire agreement and military airstrikes were carried out in Kayin State which resulted in civilian casualties.

Schraner Burgener said, “The regional threat of the crisis is real. We must continue to call for maximum restraint and condemn all forms of violence. The risk of a large-scale civil war is real.”

The Special Envoy said the release of all political prisoners, including Aung San Su Kyi, the President, and the Vice President, and the full respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms will be paramount.

Schraner Burgener told the Assembly that the National Unity Government has called for greater international humanitarian support. She said, as the situation under military rule becomes more unstable and the country risks sliding into conflict and economic paralysis, full and unimpeded humanitarian access for the UN and its partners is essential.

She emphasized that the international community must not forget the Rohingya people, who need continued international support. She said only through inclusive democratic institutions can there be any genuine hope to address the root causes of the violence and discrimination that drove the Rohingya refugee crisis, adding that accountability is essential.

SOUNDBITE (English) Christine Schraner Burgener, Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Myanmar, United Nations:
“Time is of the essence. The opportunity to reverse the military takeover is narrowing and regional threat increasing. Attempts to discredit democratically elected leaders and eliminate a party which has won a sweeping majority in two consecutive general elections, silencing of free media and arrest of journalists, national and foreign, as well as the blocking of access to information fundamentally point a departure from democratic space. Any sustainable peace must be reflective of the will of the people. Inclusive political dialogue is urgently needed.”

Schraner Burgener said there has been a growing unity among groups from different ethnic, religious and communal backgrounds with common aspirations and suffering. She called on the international community to support this “important homegrown momentum; help bring together the diverse democratic movement actors with a view to help build coherence as a critical step in any inclusive dialogue.” She said, “Any transition out of this crisis will present an opportunity to reshape Myanmar's society, free from ethnic divisions and a more inclusive constitutional and legal framework that places the military under civilian control.”
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