After the military coup in Myanmar, the UN Security Council in New York is discussing the situation in the Southeast Asian country today. Meanwhile, calls for a determined international response are mounting. US President Joe Biden threatened the new rulers in the former Burma with sanctions. „We will work with our partners in the region and the world to help restore democracy and the rule of law,“ said Biden, announcing that those responsible for the upheaval in Myanmar would be held accountable.
The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, also called for strict measures such as an arms embargo for the country. He described the disempowerment and arrest of the de facto head of government Aung San Suu Kyi and many of her fellow campaigners as “unheard of and illegal”. “They need and deserve the world to stand by, which makes a strong international response essential,” said Andrews.
Many citizens also spoke directly to the global community on social networks and asked for support. „We would like to ask the world leaders, the UN and the world media to help our country, our political leaders and our people,“ wrote a user on Twitter. „We want democracy and that our country develops like our neighboring countries.“
The army’s actions raise questions
Ten years ago the military in Myanmar allowed the first steps towards a democratization process in the country. Now the tide turned again: under severe international criticism, the country’s military announced yesterday that it would impose a one-year state of emergency – the civilian leadership around the de facto Prime Minister Aung San Suu Kyi was ousted. But why?
