Open Letter Myanmar Situation: Manipur and North-eastern Region India Concerns
To: Member and Observer States of the United Nations Human Rights Council Regarding the Urgent Situation in Myanmar
Subject: Open Letter from the Civil Society of Manipur calling on the Council’s immediate action to ensure the protection of protesters, ensure the protection of the Right to Health, and support the continuation of the peaceful political process for democracy in Myanmar
Excellencies,
We, the signatories of this open letter, write to convey our deepest concern regarding the currently unfolding situation in Myanmar, and the safety and physical integrity of the people of Myanmar. The situation has many implications in our neighbourhood, in Manipur in particular and the North-eastern Region of India as a whole. We, therefore seek the urgent and serious attention of the UNHRC to this situation.
The
coup d’état in Burma, on 1st February, 2021, by overthrowing the
democratically elected government, imposing a state of emergency and taking the
reins of the government by a military junta are unacceptable developments
fraught with impending disaster for the citizens of Myanmar and the socio-economic
development of the country, derailing the fragile seeking of a democracy in the
country and upsetting the delicate balances in the immediate region.
The
present situation in Myanmar is difficult to assess accurately because of the
communications shutdowns and the severe curtailment of the freedom of expression.
Myanmar ratified the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural
Rights (CESCR) on 6th October 2017, and acceded to the Convention on
the Rights of the Child (CRC) on 15th July 1991. Human rights, being
firmly and unequivocally founded on the recognition and respect of human
dignity inherent in every individual, are universal, indivisible, interrelated,
and interdependent.
Being
aggrieved with the developments and the army rule,over the past days from 2nd
February 2021, citizens of Myanmar have come outto the streets and are openly
staginga peaceful civil disobedience protest against the military junta.
Healthcare workers, textile workers, students and civil service personnel, and
many others have reportedly joined this civil disobedience movement underway. Martial
law and night curfew from 8:00 PM to 4:00 AM has been imposed in several cities
and townships of the country, especially in Mandalay and Ayeyarwaddy. Across
the country, in many areas, including in Yangon, the commercial hub of the
country, Section 144 of the Penal Code prohibiting assembly and movement has
been imposed. Two innocent civilian protesters were killed by the police
yesterday, on 9th February 2021, and many are reported to be injured
and undergoing treatments in hospitals. The numbers of those arbitrarily
detained by the military junta are growing every day.
The
possibility of a violent response from the military and police is a very real
and imminent reality in Myanmar, reminiscent of past crackdowns in 1962 and
1988. Our deep concerns are for the safety of the protesters, including children,
women and young persons, and the public health imperatives of the on-going
COVID-19 pandemic.
Manipur,
and the North-eastern region of India, is in the immediate neighbourhood of
Myanmar with a common international border. Large parts of this region are
under the draconian Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958 (AFSPA), a
military law that the UNHRC has called repeatedly for repeal through the
Universal Periodic Review process. The AFSPA has been imposed because of
numerous armed movements by ethnic national minorities against the government
of India. Since the past four decades, Manipur and North-eastern region has
witnessed many refugees from Myanmar fleeing from ruthless and violent military
regimes. We are deeply concerned that the current situation, if allowed to
escalate, will result in a fresh wave of refugees into Manipur and the North-eastern
region, populated by ethnic national minorities and indigenous peoples, further
exacerbating the existing fragile and unstable political situation where peace
processes have been underway since the 90s.
Manipur
and the North-eastern region have been witnessing a dramatic reduction in
COVID-19 cases over the recent weeks. Manipur reported only 7 new cases over
the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, Manipur is lagging seriously behind in
vaccination targets (21.3 per cent of initial targets) in the 1st
phase. Neighbouring Nagaland State also scored a low 21.5 per cent during this
initial round. Such a situation can easily and speedily take a negative turn if
large-scale external displacement from Myanmar occurs, where the pandemic
figures are inaccurate, and new cases are reportedly still on the rise.
Thus,
it is with great urgency that we the undersigned call on the Member and
Observer States of the UN Human Rights Council in your upcoming 29th Special
Session on the human rights implications of the crisis in Myanmar to pass a Resolution
calling for:
·
An urgent greater
monitoring of the fast-unfolding human rights crisis in Myanmar, including by
immediately sending a delegation to Myanmar to monitor the situation on the
ground and report back to the Council and other relevant bodies;
·
Enhanced and
vigorous reporting on the situation of human rights in Myanmar to the Council
and other relevant UN bodies and specialised agencies;
·
Increased support
and resources for the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in
Myanmar to effectively document and report on all urgent human rights
developments, including the right to health;
·
The
establishment of a comprehensive response to ensure long-term federal
democratic and human rights change in the country, including by ensuring
support towards constitutional change that would bring the military under
civilian control and ensure accountability for grave human rights violations.
In
addition, we call for a Resolution to urge the Myanmar military regime to:
·
Refrain from
using all forms of violence, arbitrary arrests, and reprisals against peaceful protesters
and respect people’s right to freedom of expression, association and peaceful
assembly;
·
Immediately
and unconditionally release all those who have been arbitrarily detained, and
to ensure their safety;
·
Allow
unfettered telecommunications and Internet access, including on all mobile
phone networks and lift all restrictions on access to media sites, social media
platforms, VPN and refrain from imposing any further restrictions against use
of Internet and social media platforms;
·
Immediately
allow all humanitarian aid and health support to resume work unimpeded;
·
End all
violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws in ethnic and
ceasefire areas, and that all civilians are protected, including lifting of barriers
to humanitarian assistance and ensuring the non-interference of aid to ethnic
areas.
We
further call on UN Member States to consider imposition of strategic and
targeted steps against the Myanmar military as an institution, including
military-owned and controlled companies and their substantial business
associates in accordance with the recommendations of the UN Independent
International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar.
Please
accept the assurance of our highest consideration.
For
information, please contact:
Rajesh Ningthoukhongjam, Community Action for Democracy, Manipur
Dr. Debabrata Roy Laifungbam, Member (Asia Region), Executive Committee of the International
Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT),
Denmark
Community
Network for Empowerment (CoNE), Manipur
Centre
for Organisation Research & Education (CORE), Manipur
Centre
for Research and Advocacy (CRAM), Manipur
Centre
for Women and Girls (CWG), Manipur
Human to Humane Transcultural Centre for Torture Victims and
Trauma (H2H)
Mobile
Journalists Association of India (MOJAI)
Women
in Governance (WinG), Manipur
Women
in Governance (WinG), India
Samadon
Sanglen, Manipur
Prof.MayengbamAkshyayakumar
Singh (Clinical Psychologist)
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