Burma’s ambassador to the United Nations warned diplomats at a General Assembly meeting on Friday that his country’s armed forces had become “an existential threat” and urged the world community to take action against the military who led the coup in 1st of February.
The Burmese ambassador, Kyaw Moe Tun, said that the UN, the United Nations Security Council and the international community should “use all necessary means to act against Myanmar. [Burmese] military and to provide protection and security for the people of Myanmar. “
His speech came after a presentation to the General Assembly by the secretary general’s special envoy to Burma, Christine Schraner Burgener, who said it was time to sound “the alarm”.
In his speech, Burgener said: “If there is any escalation in terms of military brutality – unfortunately, as we saw earlier in Myanmar [Burma] – against people exercising their fundamental rights, let us act quickly and collectively. We can no longer allow deep divisions. “
PRO-MILITARY MARKERS IN BURMA ATTACK ANTI-SHOCK PROTESTERS
Giving her first speech as a United States ambassador to the world body, Linda Thomas-Greenfield applauded the comments of the Burmese ambassador, calling them “brave and brave”. She said the United States sympathized with the protesters and reiterated the American position: “The United States continues to strongly condemn the military coup in Myanmar. And we condemn the brutal killing of people unarmed by the security forces.”
Perhaps giving a hint to China, which supported its neighbor and blocked several Security Council actions against it, Thomas-Greenfield told the General Assembly: “We ask that together, the whole world speak with one voice and condemn military state detention Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint and hundreds of other civil authorities and human rights defenders. “
She continued: “We urge all member states here today to use whatever channel is available to tell the military in Myanmar that violence against the people of Myanmar will not be tolerated. Together, we all show the people of Myanmar that the world is watching. We heard them, and we are with them. “
China’s ambassador to the UN, Zhang Jun, echoed China’s policies with his neighbor and said that what happened in the country was, in essence, a matter of internal affairs. He noted that “the voice and action taken by the international community must help Myanmar [Burma] the parties resolve their differences and solve problems. “
He warned that the international community must “avoid intensifying tensions and further complicating the situation”.
PROTESTS INCLUDE AFTER BURMA JOINT RAISES THE STRENGTH SPECTOR
Craig Singleton, an adjunct member of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD), China’s program, told Fox News that the Biden government is facing a difficult balancing act in Burma.
“Any successful response to the crisis must take into account the United States’ lack of economic and political influence, as well as the fact that Burma’s military leaders are unlikely to respond favorably to any language bordering on the ultimatum.” He said that while today’s UN meeting was positive, most of Myanmar’s neighbors do not support sanctions and are against external interference in their internal affairs.
Singleton warned that China is “carefully pursuing its own high-powered strategy, one that builds on its strengths and long-term goals, including its efforts to reduce US influence across Southeast Asia.”
He told Fox News that the Biden government needs to “reevaluate its strategy and promote a constructive path for diplomatic dialogue, in fact allowing both sides to voice their complaints. … Such a diplomatic structure would also give the new government an opportunity to synchronize his messages better with other Indo-Pacific allies, many of whom are hesitant to adopt sanctions or any other measures that could push Burma closer to Beijing. “
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Last weekend, a protester told Fox News that the strong words from foreign governments were not enough. “We would like the United States to come and intervene,” said an American-Burmese woman. “Instead of words, sending letters saying they condemn the coup, they must act and demand the release of Aung San Kyi.”
Laura Taglianetti, from the Associated Press and Fox News, contributed to this report