Ms. Lee concluded a
12-day visit to Yangon and Naypyidaw, as well as Shan, Kayin, and Rakhine
states, on July 21. In her findings, she listed a catalogue of concerns based
on reports of killings, torture, the use of human shields by security forces,
deaths in custody, and humanitarian crises affecting the Rohingya and other
minority communities.
The special
rapporteur also accused the Myanmar government of limiting her access to areas
with ongoing human rights abuses, including Hsipaw, Shan State, where three
journalists are imprisoned.
She also accused
Myanmar’s current government of employing the same tactics of oppression and
silencing dissent as the military junta that previously ruled Myanmar.
Responding to these
accusations, MP Thandar from Einme Township, Ayeyawady Region, said the special
rapporteur’s findings ignored the Myanmar government’s efforts to promote
national reconciliation and to cooperate with the UN.
She also accused Ms.
Lee of ignoring the facts on the ground in Rakhine State.
“[Ms. Lee’s]
statement was not based on fact,” MP Thandar said. “Yanghee Lee paid no
attention to terrorist attacks on civilians in Rakhine State. There is growing
concern among the public about the attacks, which could make Myanmar into a
stronghold for the terrorists.”
She also accused Ms.
Lee of neglecting to mention tunnels, guns, and training camps discovered by
Myanmar authorities in the Mayu Mountains.
“The report the
special rapporteur plans to submit to the UN General Assembly in October will
be unfair. It will lead to bad decisions. That’s why I submitted the proposal,”
the MP said.
MP Thandar’s
proposal was supported by several other lawmakers, including members of the
NLD, USDP, the Arakan National Party, and the Shan Nationalities League for
Democracy.
NLD MP Kyaw Soe Linn
from Pyi Gyi Tagun Township, Mandalay Region, said Ms. Lee ignored Myanmar’s
appointment of Kofi Annan, a former secretary general of the UN, as the
chairman of Rakhine State Advisory Commission.
“[This appointment]
is a noteworthy sign that the government cares about human rights affairs in
the country,” Kyaw Soe Linn said.
He also said the
special rapporteur’s statement largely ignored the government’s challenges,
including dealing with years of isolation, underdevelopment, and internal
conflict.
Lower House Speaker
Win Myint approved the proposal for further discussion and invited MPs to sign
up to participate.
On July 21, the
Office of the State Counsellor issued a similar response to Ms. Lee’s findings,
saying: “We are disappointed with the Special Rapporteur’s end of mission
statement. We had hoped that the Special Rapporteur’s statement would reflect
the difficulties of resolving the problems that are the legacy of decades of
internal conflict, isolation, and underdevelopment. The Special Rapporteur’s statement
instead contains many sweeping allegations and a number of factual errors.”
The State
Counsellor’s Office statement has largely been lauded by social media users in
Myanmar, many of whom accuse Ms. Lee and the UN of conspiring to destroy or
colonize Myanmar: https://www.facebook.com/state.counsellor/
Source: https://coconuts.co/yangon/news/myanmar-parliament-moves-denounce-un-human-rights-rapporteur/
Also read the
following attachments in same topic:
Lower house of
parliament approves motion rejecting UN Human Rights Statement: https://shar.es/1T4vzZ