Since Burma’s military took control of the country in February 2021, the military junta has been leading a campaign of violence against the people of Burma.
On December 21, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution calling for the end of violence in Burma as well as the release of all arbitrarily detained prisoners, including President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.
The United States welcomes the resolution said Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement.
“This is an important step by the Security Council to address the crisis and end the Burma military regime’s escalating repression and violence against civilians.”
Finally, the resolution stressed the importance of the role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, in forging a peaceful solution to the crisis. Central to ASEAN’s plan is the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus, which calls for a constructive dialogue between all parties in the country, while also ending violence and increasing humanitarian aid in the region.
This sentiment was echoed by U.S. Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs Robert Wood. “It helps answer the call from our ASEAN partners for greater support from the UN and the international community,” he said.
However, Ambassador Wood noted, this resolution does not go far enough to hold Burma’s military accountable for their crimes.
“We should directly address the regime’s severe violations of freedom of religion and belief. We should call directly for the regime to face justice for the crimes it has reportedly committed, such as strikes on a school and a concert that killed scores of civilians,” he said. “We should not overlook the General Assembly’s resolution in support of an arms embargo. And we should pursue a mechanism to prevent the flow of financial resources to the regime.”
The United States is committed to working with the UN and our international partners, including ASEAN, to end the violence in Burma and seek a peaceful reconciliation to the crisis.
