(Geneva, 15 December 2023)
- The Permanent Mission of Myanmar has noted such remarks by the High Commissioner and the Special Rapporteur ignored the fact that State armed forces have been countering terror acts including inhumane killings, targeting civilian population, attacking villages and residential areas and public facilities by the NUG, PDF and affiliated armed organizations. It further failed to state such terrorist attacks which claimed lives of over 6,934 innocent civilians including 287 civil servants, 911 administrators, 91 monks and a nun, 242 children and 5402 ordinary citizens. Not surprisingly, the remarks of the Special Rapporteur without any verified data but blaming grudged against the Government of Myanmar are far beyond contrary to the code of conduct of the Special Procedure Mandate Holders.
- As the above-mentioned armed groups are not only threatening the lives and livelihoods of the civilian population but also devasting the civilian infrastructure, Myanmar exercises its legitimate rights to counter such terror acts to restore peace, stability, and public security in the affected areas. Regarding the recent clashes, the Permanent Mission of Myanmar has already responded to the misleading remarks on Myanmar made by the Spokesperson for OHCHR at a bi-weekly press briefing with Note Verbale No. 808/31 46/2023 dated 22 November 2023.
- Myanmar is of the view that the ignorance of the High Commissioner and the Special Rapporteur on the reality and only targeting and publicizing a specific country in several different occasions will be counterproductive and meaningful international cooperation will not be possible as envisaged by the Human Rights Council.
- Therefore, the Permanent Mission categorically rejects the above-mentioned remarks on Myanmar of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Press release by the Special Rapporteur issued on 6 December 2023.
Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations
GENEVA