UN Human Rights investigator calls on UNSC to impose global arms embargo, economic sanctions on Myanmar

The United Nations Human Rights Investigator on Myanmar urged the Security Council to impose a global arms embargo and economic sanctions on the military generals and move the atrocities to the International Criminal Court for prosecution.

 

In a report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Thomas Andrews called for wide-ranging punitive sanctions. He said, States should impose sanctions on the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise, now controlled by the military and its largest source of revenue. The UNSC will be discussing the situation on Friday in a closed meeting.

 

Condemning Wednesday's firing on the pro-democracy protesters by the Myanmar military, UN Special Envoy for Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener has said that it was the bloodiest day since the February 1 coup. 

She further said that the incidents in Myanmar are not an internal



affair as they affect the stability of the region. The demonstration against the Myanmar Army, which ousted the democratically elected government of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, has entered its fourth week.

 

Security forces have begun a violent crackdown on the protestors in towns and cities across the country. UN Human Rights Office said, at least 18 people were killed and more than 30 injured in Myanmar on Sunday, as police and military forces confronted peaceful demonstrations.

 

On Saturday, Myanmar's military fired the country's United Nations Ambassador after he appealed to the UN General Assembly for international help to overturn the coup.

 

Myanmar's ousted civilian leader Kyi, who was detained following the coup, said that two more charges have been added to those filed against her since the coup.