UN Chief Slams Detention Of Myanmar's Political Leaders, Transfer Of Powers To Military

UNITED NATIONS, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Feb, 2021 ) :United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned Myanmar's military on Monday after it seized power, and called for the release of elected leaders, including Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

"The Secretary-General strongly condemns the detention of State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint and other political leaders on the eve of the opening session of Myanmar's new parliament," his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

"He expresses his grave concern regarding the declaration of the transfer of all legislative, executive and judicial powers to the military," the statement said, adding, "These developments represent a serious blow to democratic reforms in Myanmar." According to media reports, an announcer on Myanmar's military-owned Myawaddy tv declared on Monday morning that the military had taken control of the country for one year.

Myanmar's leader Suu Kyi and other senior figures from the ruling party have been detained in an early morning raid, the spokesman for the governing National League for Democracy (NLD) was quoted as saying in the media.

Dujarric, the UN chief's spokesman, said that November's elections had provided Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy with a strong mandate, "reflecting the clear will of the people of Myanmar to continue on the hard-won path of democratic reform".

The statement called on the military to "respect the will of the people" and "adhere to democratic norms, with any differences to be resolved through peaceful dialogue".

"All leaders must act in the greater interest of Myanmar's democratic reform, engaging in meaningful dialogue, refraining from violence and fully respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms," Guterres said.

He reaffirmed the "unwavering" support of the United Nations to the people of Myanmar in their pursuit of democracy, peace, human rights and the rule of law.

The President of the UN General Assembly, Volkan Bozkir of Turkey, said in a tweet that he is deeply concerned about developments in Myanmar and called for the immediate release of detained political leaders.

"Attempts to undermine democracy & rule of law are unacceptable. Military leaders must adhere to democratic norms and respect public institutions & civilian authority," he said.

In Washington The United States expressed dismay at the military's declaration of a state of emergency and the detentions, which the army said it had carried out in response to "election fraud".

"We call on Burmese military leaders to release all government officials and civil society leaders and respect the will of the people of Burma as expressed in democratic elections on Nov. 8," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

The White House said President Joe Biden had been briefed on the situation.

In a statement late Sunday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the United States is "alarmed" by the reports.

"The United States opposes any attempt to alter the outcome of recent elections or impede Myanmar's democratic transition," Psaki said, adding that the US "will take action against those responsible if these steps are not reversed." But Psaki did not specify what types of action the United States may take if Myanmar's military does not heed its warnings.

Suu Kyi, 75, came to power after a 2015 election win that followed decades of house arrest in a struggle for democracy with Myanmar's junta that turned her into an international icon.

However, her international standing was badly damaged after she turned a blind eye to the massacre of Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state, and did nothing to stop the 2017 army operations against them. As a result, thousands of Rohingya fled to take refuge in neighbouring Bangladesh.