UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued an urgent call to the international community, urging them to work together to find a unified strategy to address the deteriorating crisis in Myanmar. Guterres emphasized the need to increase financial aid to previous levels to allow the UN to respond effectively to what he termed an “enormous tragedy.”
The situation in Myanmar has continued to worsen since Guterres met with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at a summit in 2022. He reiterated his call for Myanmar’s military-installed government to release all political prisoners immediately and facilitate a return to democratic rule.
Deteriorating Situation in Myanmar
Myanmar’s military seized power on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi and detaining her along with senior members of her National League for Democracy party. The military’s actions followed a landslide victory for the party in the November 2020 general election.
The military crackdown on widespread opposition to the coup resulted in thousands of civilian casualties. Along with the arrest of numerous individuals involved in peaceful protests. Moreover, this brutal response led to armed resistance across the country.
Guterres discussed the need for international intervention during a press conference before attending the ASEAN leaders’ summit meetings in Jakarta, Indonesia. He also expressed concerns about other global issues. Moreover, warning of a potential fracture in world economic and financial systems due to diverging strategies on technology, artificial intelligence, and conflicting security frameworks.
He emphasized that the world is facing a multitude of crises. Including the escalating climate emergency, ongoing conflicts, increasing poverty, growing inequality, and rising geopolitical tensions.
In addition to the Myanmar crisis, UN Chief Guterres highlighted the plight of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. In 2017, violence erupted in response to longstanding discrimination against the Rohingya. Leading to a mass exodus of over 700,000 Rohingya to Bangladesh. Myanmar’s military was accused of committing mass atrocities, including rapes, killings, and the destruction of Rohingya homes.