Myanmar’s opposition envoy to the United Nations appealed Thursday for international action to protect civilians in his country after the military junta carried out deadly airstrikes this week on villagers in northwest Myanmar.
“On behalf of the people of Myanmar, I again call for the international community, especially the U.N. Security Council, to take decisive actions to save lives of the people of Myanmar, to end the military impunity and to prevent further destabilization of the region,” Kyaw Moe Tun told reporters on Thursday.
He said at least 168 people — including more than 30 children, a 6-month-old baby, and 27 women — were killed. VOA’s Burmese Service confirmed the casualty figures from witnesses on the ground. Initial reports had put the death toll at about 100 people.
“The bodies of some victims were so badly burned and destroyed that visual identification has not been possible,” Myanmar’s opposition envoy said. “These heinous crimes of the junta clearly constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
'Children are not terrorists'
Kyaw Moe Tun represents the democratically elected National Unity Government, which was ousted in the February 1, 2021, military coup. Many NUG leaders remain jailed or detained, including President Win Myint and National League for Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The junta has not received international recognition, and Kyaw Moe Tun continues to fill the country’s seat at the United Nations.
Myanmar’s ruling junta has confirmed that it carried out deadly airstrikes Tuesday on Pazigyi village in Sagaing Region, where opposition forces were holding a ceremony. It said it attacked the People’s Defense Force, which is the military wing of the NUG. The junta considers the PDF a terrorist group.
“Citizens are not terrorists. Children are not terrorists. Those who are opposed to the junta and its killing of innocent people are not terrorists,” U.N. Special Rapporteur for Myanmar Tom Andrews told VOA Burmese. “They are patriots.”
'We will retaliate'
In a statement, military spokesman Zaw Min Tun denied targeting civilians, saying the military hit gunpowder and explosives the PDF were storing, and that’s what led to the deaths.
Local residents told VOA Burmese that fighter jets and helicopters were still hovering near the village on Wednesday.
“We think this is an inhumane act. This is torturing the public. We will retaliate with whatever weapons we can get,” resident Ko Maung Myo, who lost at least six members of his family, told VOA Burmese.
Kyaw Moe Tun said the military has carried out 56 air attacks between January and March this year.
“These attacks showcase the junta’s escalating terror campaign against the Myanmar people, despite the repeated calls by the international community, including the U.N. Security Council,” he said.
ASEAN condemns strikes
In December, the 15-nation Security Council adopted a resolution demanding an immediate end to all forms of violence throughout the country, the release of all arbitrarily detained prisoners, and called on the military to fully implement regional bloc ASEAN’s five-point consensus that aims to stop the violence and open dialogue.
On Thursday, ASEAN’s chair, Indonesia, issued a statement saying the bloc “strongly condemns” the military’s airstrikes and continues to promote its five-point consensus.
“All forms of violence must end immediately, particularly the use of force against civilians,” the brief statement said. “This would be the only way to create a conducive environment for an inclusive national dialogue to find a sustainable peaceful solution in Myanmar.”
Britain’s U.N. ambassador welcomed that statement as a “very important development” and expressed concern that the U.N. Security Council had not yet found consensus to issue its own condemnation.
“We believe the council should condemn it [the strikes] and demand the full implementation of Security Council resolution 2669. It is concerning to us that the council has not been able to do so,” Ambassador Barbara Woodward told reporters ahead of the council’s closed-door meeting to discuss the situation.
Britain holds the file for Myanmar on the council and had drafted what’s known as a presidential statement condemning the strikes. Diplomats said Russia and China had blocked it on Wednesday. Such statements require council unity.
Kyaw Moe Tun also welcomed the ASEAN statement but said the bloc needs to take a stronger position to achieve a sustainable solution.
“The message that we already give is, don’t leave us here alone,” he said. “Please, the international community should support ASEAN with regard to the implementation of the five-point consensus.”
VOA’s Burmese Service contributed to this report.
