UN Security Council to decide response to Myanmar coup; Hundreds detained

New Delhi, Feb 2 (UNI) The UN Security Council is preparing to hold a closed-door online session later Tuesday to discuss an international response to the military coup in Myanmar amid reports that hundreds of people have been detained in the country.

Local media reported that all members of Aung Saan Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy who were in the capital were detained.

NLD lawmakers’ spouses are also said to be under house arrest.

Also on Tuesday, the National League for Democracy in a statement posted on Facebook, denounced the coup, saying it “hampered” democratic reforms and efforts to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

The former ruling party’s central executive committee, the League’s highest decision-making body, asked the military to accept the results of the November general election and that Parliament, scheduled to convene the previous day for the first time since the election, be allowed to sit.

At the UN, Britain’s UN Ambassador Barbara Woodward said the Council will “look at a range of measures, with the idea of respecting the people’s will expressed in the vote and releasing civil society leaders.”

Britain holds the rotating presidency of the Council for February.

Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, said that the international community had to act “in a language that the Myanmar junta will understand.”

“And we know from experience they understand the language of economic sanctions,” Andrews said.

US President Joe Biden threatened on Monday to impose new sanctions against Myanmar.

India, which entered the Council as a non-permanent member this year, also said it is closely monitoring the situation in the neighbouring country with which it has security and economic ties.

The External Affairs Ministry in a statement expressed deep concern over the development and said that rule of law and democracy be upheld.

Japan has voiced “serious concerns” about the situation in Myanmar and urged the release of detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

However, it remains to be seen how two permanent Council members — China and Russia– will act in the meeting.

The two countries hold veto powers on the Council, along with France, the UK and the US.

China has so far declined to criticize the coup and has instead called on all sides to “resolve differences.”

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here