New York, UN
Julie Bishop, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar
The Myanmar conflict risks becoming a forgotten crisis. The people of Myanmar having suffered so much deserve better.
I believe Myanmar presents an opportunity for the UN to demonstrate its commitment to the New Agenda for Peace by responding collectively to this increasingly complex and fast deteriorating political, humanitarian, socio-economic, security and human rights emergency.
At the recent ASEAN-UN Summit, the Secretary-General underlined support for strengthened cooperation between the UN Special Envoy and the ASEAN Chair on innovative ways to promote a Myanmar-led process, including through an effective implementation of the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus, and beyond.
I have engaged the current, previous and incoming ASEAN Chairs in Vientiane, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur and have visited bordering nations including China and Thailand. I will soon visit India and Bangladesh, continuing to urge neighboring countries to leverage their influence.
I have engaged with a range of Myanmar stakeholders to build trust for the UN. I aim to understand the different and often conflicting perspectives so that through my role I can encourage greater coordination with regional and global efforts to facilitate an agreed solution.
Myanmar actors must move beyond the current zero-sum mentality. There can be little progress on addressing the needs of the people while armed conflict continues across the country.
Any pathway to reconciliation requires an end to violence, accountability and unfettered access for the UN and its partners to address vulnerabilities among the marginalised, including Rohingya, ethnic communities and particularly women and children.
This General Assembly and the Security Council have called for these and other key measures, including the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.
Our assistance must be aligned with the needs and aspirations of the people. Recently, some of you heard from Myanmar women and youth about the disproportionate impact of this crisis, including in consultations my Office arranged in partnership with UN Women during High-Level Week.
The crisis is taking an enormous toll on young people who feel overwhelmed by hopelessness for their future, and in the immediate term, by abhorrent issues like forced recruitment.
All Myanmar actors agree that the human suffering has reached unprecedented levels. The statistics set out in the Secretary-General’s recent report are horrifying.
While remaining impartial in my engagement with all stakeholders, I am guided in my work by the values and principles of the United Nations.
I have visited Nay Pyi Taw and met with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and I will return.
I have engaged with representatives of the National League for Democracy (NLD), the National Unity Government (NUG), the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC), the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), ethnic armed organisations, civil society, women’s organisations, human rights defenders, along with representatives from numerous UN member states.
My engagement with various Rohingya representatives has focused on their safety, wellbeing and living conditions in Rakhine and elsewhere, increased burden sharing with Bangladesh, and the need for greater international support for efforts to create conditions conductive for their voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return.
I have consulted international financial institutions on how they might support Myanmar’s infrastructure needs and help stabilise the ailing economy. The violence must end for such assistance to be forthcoming.
Adherence to international humanitarian and human rights law, including civilian protection, is paramount as civilian casualties caused by airstrikes as well as land mines and artillery fire have risen dramatically.
I join with those who condemn violence in all its forms in this escalating conflict.
The rule of law has been so severely undermined that transnational crime emanating from Myanmar is proliferating. The sheer scale of arms production and trade, human trafficking, drug manufacture and trafficking, and scam centres means Myanmar now ranks highest among all member states for organised crime. The criminal networks are out of control.
There are now an estimated 3.4 million internally displaced persons, many seeking asylum across borders or by dangerous sea journeys. I have urged neighboring countries to provide access to safety for those fleeing persecution.
The regional implications of this crisis are evident, but the global impact can no longer be ignored.
The Secretary-General has underscored the urgency of forging a path towards a democratic transition with a return to civilian rule. I share his concern regarding the military’s stated intention to hold elections amid intensifying conflict and human rights violations.
A home-grown inclusive and sustainable peace must be our goal but as yet there is no agreement on how this can be achieved. This strategic objective remains central to my efforts. We must continue to find common ground amid the chaos so a peace process can begin.