UN / MYANMAR HUMAN RIGHTS

STORY: UN / MYANMAR HUMAN RIGHTS
TRT: 2:49
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 17 MAY 2023, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

SHOTLIST:

FILE – NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, United Nations Headquarters

17 MAY 2023, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, press room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar:
“Mocha was, in fact, the most powerful cyclone to make landfall in this part of Myanmar. And what we're seeing right now is misery on top of misery. It has had a horrible effect on extremely poor and destabilized parts of Myanmar, who have suffered from horrific of violence – and I'm talking about decades of systematic discrimination, genocidal attacks and displacement.”
4. Close up, journalist asking question
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar:
“This village attack, we know, killed at least 160 people. According to the National Unity Government, nearly 40 of those who were killed were children. Only 59 people's remains were identifiable with one rescue worker stating that victims remains, and I quote, ‘had to be picked up part by point and buried.’ This is yet another example of the Junta’s brutality and the probable crimes against humanity. And war crimes being inflicted on the people of Myanmar.”
6. Close up, journalist asking question
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar:
“The Junta is using internationally supplied arms and associated materials to commit atrocities against the people of Myanmar. The Russian Federation supply the Yak-130 aircraft and the Mi- 35 helicopters and the ammunition that were involved in this attack. These weapons and materials were provided directly to the Directorate of Defense Industries.”
8. Close up, journalist asking question
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar:
“Since this military coup occurred, led by Min Aung Hlaing, that's two years ago, a little over two years ago, at least 3500 civilians have been killed, at least 22,000 political prisoners have been detained, and at least 1.5 million people have been forcibly displaced.”
10. Close up, journalist asking question
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar:
“Since that coup on the first of February, I have continued to remind Member States that that we can address this crisis by denying the Junta the three critical ingredients for conducting these operations: one, financial support; two, weapons; and three, legitimacy.”
12. Wide shot, journalists in the audience

STORYLINE:

Noting that Mocha was “the most powerful cyclone to make landfall in this part of Myanmar”, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the country, Tom Andrews, said that “what we're seeing right now is misery on top of misery.”

Briefing journalists in New York on Wednesday (17 May), Andrews added, “It has had a horrible effect on extremely poor and destabilized parts of Myanmar, who have suffered from horrific of violence – and I'm talking about decades of systematic discrimination, genocidal attacks and displacement.”

The Special Rapporteur also gave more details about an attack on a village gathering organized by the military's opponents in Sagaing region on April 11, with two bombs dropped from a Yak-130.

Andrews said, “This village attack, we know, killed at least 160 people. According to the National Unity Government, nearly 40 of those who were killed were children. Only 59 people's remains were identifiable with one rescue worker stating that victims remains, and I quote, ‘had to be picked up part by point and buried.’ This is yet another example of the Junta’s brutality and the probable crimes against humanity. And war crimes being inflicted on the people of Myanmar.”

According to the expert, “the Junta is using internationally supplied arms and associated materials to commit atrocities against the people of Myanmar” and “the Russian Federation supply the Yak-130 aircraft and the Mi- 35 helicopters and the ammunition that were involved in this attack. These weapons and materials were provided directly to the Directorate of Defense Industries.”

The Special Rapporteur also told journalists that since the military coup occurred, led by Min Aung Hlaing, in february of 2021, “at least 3500 civilians have been killed, at least 22,000 political prisoners have been detained, and at least 1.5 million people have been forcibly displaced.”

Andrews concluded, “Since that coup on the first of February, I have continued to remind Member States that that we can address this crisis by denying the Junta the three critical ingredients for conducting these operations: one, financial support; two, weapons; and three, legitimacy.”