Statement by the Republic of Slovenia at the UN Security Council briefing on the situation in Myanmar

Thank you very much, Mr President,

I wish to join others in thanking ASG Khiari and Director Doughten for their briefings.

Mr President,

Slovenia remains deeply concerned about the escalation of conflict in Myanmar, which has now expanded throughout the country. Three years of military rule have pushed Myanmar into deep crisis, threatening not only its own stability and multiethnic character, but also the stability of the region. Increased fighting in Rakhine State in recent months, in particular the attacks by the military in March, is fueling displacement and has led to worsening of already existing vulnerabilities and discrimination.

Slovenia renews its condemnation of the military coup and all forms of violence, including sexual and gender-based violence. We join calls of the Secretary-General to protect the civilians and to prevent further incitement of communal tensions. We are deeply concerned about the increased use of airstrikes by the military and about the flow of arms and equipment used to commit atrocities, which needs to be restricted.

Allow me, Mr President, to make the following remarks:

Firstly, Slovenia welcomes the central role of ASEAN in facilitating a solution of this crisis and its efforts to implement the five-point consensus plan. The situation in Myanmar is worsening and we encourage ASEAN to continue its efforts towards restoration of peace, democracy and civilian rule in the country. We strongly believe that while ensuring close coordination with ASEAN, the ongoing situation in Myanmar merits regular discussions in the Security Council and we regret that this Council was unable to agree on press statement on deteriorating situation and human suffering.

Secondly, we express profound concern about the continued worsening of humanitarian situation in Myanmar where women and girls are again among the most vulnerable population in danger in particular of sexual violence and human trafficking. We condemn all deliberate obstructions to humanitarian assistance, including the military-imposed communications and movement restrictions and intimidations of humanitarian workers. Such actions flagrantly violate international humanitarian law and human rights law as well as humanitarian principles. We once again call on all parties to the conflict to fully respect their obligations under IHL. We applaud the local humanitarian workers who continue their efforts to provide assistance to those in need.
Additionally, humanitarian situation in Rakhine state is seriously deteriorating, including for the Rohingya. We stress that the current circumstances in Myanmar do not allow for a voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of refugees and internally displaced persons to their homes. This is protracting the dire situation of the Rohingya refugees in neighboring countries, as well as of the internally displaced persons, returnees and stateless persons in Myanmar. We commend Bangladesh for continuing to host more than one million refugees from Myanmar.

Thirdly, we strongly condemn military’s indiscriminate violence against the people of Myanmar, which amounts to severe violations and abuses of international human rights law. We call on the military to stop the violence against its own population, release all political prisoners and to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms of all persons in Myanmar. We call for justice and accountability for international humanitarian law and human rights violations to be ensured. In this respect, we express our strong support to the work of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar and the investigations and proceedings conducted by national, regional and international tribunals, including by the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.

The military’s recent announcement of a compulsory military service law is worrisome as young women and men could be subjected to mandatory conscription without an appeal process. This can have serious consequences for enjoyment of their human rights. We are particularly concerned about the reports of forced recruitment, abductions and other forms of abuse and violence, particularly in Rakhine state. We remain alarmed also by the continued recruitment and use of children and other grave violations against children in armed conflict by various parties.

Mr President,

People of Myanmar have been suffering for far too long and their plight for peace must not be ignored. We call for full implementation of the Security Council Resolution 2669 and for the path towards a democratic transition with a return to civilian rule, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law.

It is therefore crucial for the international community to redouble its efforts in achieving unified approach in resolving this crisis. And in this connection, we are looking forward to the prompt appointment of the Special Envoy for Myanmar. We need to work together with the ASEAN and other stakeholders towards cessation of violence and pave the way for a stable, peaceful and democratic Myanmar.

I thank you.

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