(7 June, 2023)
- The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has issued the report entitled “Human rights impacts of new technologies on civic space in South-East Asia” on 30 May 2023.
- Regarding the context of the said-report, it is learnt that the United Nations Human Rights Office has failed to reflect the information provided by the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar while information made by some other countries were included.
- In this regard, the Permanent Mission of Myanmar reiterates its position in connection with the elements related to Myanmar that contained in the report as follows: –
- Regarding to the term “Rohingya” in Page no. 12 of the report, Myanmar does not recognize the term “Rohingya”. The real aim of using this term is to claim ethnicity and territorial status. Such usage has never existed in legal and historical records of the country and thus, the people of Myanmar cannot accept it.
- Myanmar has clearly stated its categorical rejection and non- recognition on both the establishment and mandate of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar (IIFFMM) and its successor, Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM). Myanmar views that these kind of intrusive mechanisms are just to drive politicization and interventionist approach under the pretext of promotion and protection of human rights.
- The IIMM is fulfilling those demands, wishes of the western-countries which are the primary sponsors’ resolutions on Myanmar and resulting senseless and one-sided accusations and allegations. Although the Permanent Mission has provided the verified data, the OHCHR has failed again to indicate them in the report. Therefore, the Permanent Mission fully rejects the entire paragraph in the Page no. 12 of the said report.
- Regarding the paragraph with the title of “Internet shutdowns and network interference in Myanmar” in the Page no.29 of the said report, the Permanent Mission of Myanmar responded to the Press Release by the Special Rapporteurs in June 2022 with the Mission’s Note No.242/31-46/2022 dated 6 June 2022 to the Special Procedures Branch of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
- Moreover, the Permanent Mission has provided the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights with the Mission’s Note No. 13/31-46/2023 dated 10 January 2023 informing its the factual comments on the draft report. Nonetheless, the Office did not incorporate Myanmar’s responses in the report causing misleading information to the international community and it further questions the professionalism and objectivity of the Office.
- Furthermore, with the misuse of the social media platform by the terrorist NUG and PDF groups, the innocent people have been incited to hatred and encouraged them to commit violence and financing terrorist actions.
- Notwithstanding that there are disparaging doings by certain media platforms and ICT corporations like removing applications and banning pages which have contrasted with the views and narratives of some western countries, the Government of Myanmar has tried to prevent hate speech and promote social cohesion, promoted mutual trust and confidence-building among all communities in order to create harmony among different communities.
- Therefore, the Permanent Mission of Myanmar registers its objection upon the unfair and imbalanced report entitled “Human rights impacts of new technologies on civic space in South-East Asia” and rejects the elements relating Myanmar contained in the report.
Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations
GENEVA