US, EU, Allies Call For End To Myanmar Violence On 2nd Anniversary Of Coup

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th February, 2023) The United States, the European Union and 20 other countries issued a joint statement on Wednesday on the second anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar, calling for an end to violence and the resumption of an inclusive democratic process in the Southeast Asian country.

"The military overruled the democratic wishes of the people of Myanmar as expressed in the November 2020 General Election, when they seized power on 1 February 2021. We reiterate our call for the return of Myanmar to a democratic path. The military regime must end violence and create space for meaningful and inclusive dialogue to allow for any democratic process to resume," the statement released by the US State Department read.

The statement added that since the coup, the military regime had violently cracked down on any form of opposition, including peaceful protests. Moreover, there are widespread reports of torture and sexual abuse by the security forces.

The protracted conflict has resulted in thousands of civilians being killed, left more than 17 million people in need and forced 1.5 million to flee their homes, the statement read.

At the same time, the signatories said they welcomed and supported the central role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in addressing the Myanmar crisis and urged the international community to stop the transfer of weapons contributing to atrocities in the country.

"We once again call on all members of the international community to support all efforts to hold those responsible for human rights violations and abuses to account; to cease the sale and transfer of arms and equipment which facilitate atrocities; and to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of Myanmar's people, including its most vulnerable communities," the statement read.

Besides the EU and the US, the joint statement was signed by representatives of Albania, Armenia, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, the Federated States of Micronesia, Georgia, Ghana, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Marshall Islands, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Serbia, South Korea, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

In February 2021, the military seized power in Myanmar using a constitutional mechanism of transferring powers in an emergency situation. The military arrested government officials, accusing them of rigging the general election, and later appointed a new administration.�