(CU)_The UN Security Council on Wednesday (10 March) condemned the violence instigated by the Myanmar army against demonstrators, but failed to recognise the country’s military takeover as a coup or threaten further action owing to opposition from China and Russia.
The Council “strongly condemns the violence against peaceful protesters, including against women, youth and children,” the statement read. “The council calls for the military to exercise utmost restraint and emphasizes that it is following the situation closely.”
The British-drafted text, which described the takeover as a coup and threatened further action, were altered owing to opposition by Russia, China, India and Vietnam. Nevertheless, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he hoped the statement would push the military to realise that releasing the prisoners and respecting the results of the November election “is absolutely essential”.
Since the 1 February coup against the country’s civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, more than 60 protesters have been killed by security forces, while around 2,000 others have been detained. On Wednesday, the military fired rubber bullets and teargas against hundreds of demonstrators late into the night, while some others who managed to evade blockades set up by the police were beaten.
Meanwhile, in an attempt to pressurise the military, the United States Treasury Department, announced sanctions on two children of the country’s military leader Min Aung Hlaing and six companies controlled by the army.
On the other hand, the United Kingdom is also considering fresh sanctions over the current state of affairs in the Southeast Asian country, foreign minister Dominic Raab said.
However, the Myanmar army has justified the coup saying the election – in which the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) performed poorly – was marred by fraud. Therefore, the junta has promised to hold a “free and fair” election after the election commission has been “re-constituted”.
