Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur on the status of human rights in Myanmar, on Friday called on states to impose an arms embargo against the Asian nation's military government that seized power earlier this year
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th May, 2021) Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur on the status of human rights in Myanmar, on Friday called on states to impose an arms embargo against the Asian nation's military government that seized power earlier this year.
The official praised efforts of over 200 organizations to bring this issue to the UN Security Council and described the need to stop the flow of weapons and two-way weapons technology as a matter of life and death.
"I urge governments who support cutting the flow of weapons to a brutal military junta to consider immediately establishing their own arms embargo against Myanmar while simultaneously encouraging UN Security Council action," Andrews said in a statement.
The expert mentioned working on updating a list of countries that have already imposed arms embargoes against Myanmar's military authorities and will publish the fresh list next month.
"Additionally, I urge organizations and advocates who have called for UN Security Council action to simultaneously urge governments to impose their own arms embargo. They can begin by carefully reviewing the list of nations who have established arms embargoes, and reach out to those who have yet to do so," Andrews stated.
The Myanmar military overthrew the civilian government and declared a year-long state of emergency on February 1, which triggered waves of nationwide civil unrest against military rule. In response, the military carried out cracked down against all protests, not shying away from using lethal force.
