Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, speaks at the press conference at the Palace of Nations, Geneva, Switzerland - 20 Mar 2023 UN Photo / Elma Okic
UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar’s human rights situation, Tom Andrews, has called on the international community to reject and oppose the sham election planned by the terrorist military council. He emphasized that the military council’s planned election is merely a facade aimed at legitimizing their power, pointing out that it cannot be considered legitimate when political opponents are being imprisoned, tortured, and executed. The Special Rapporteur urged the international community to stand with the Myanmar people who oppose this fraudulent election process.
Andrews highlighted that more than 6,800 civilians have been killed since the military coup, with escalating attacks on locations where internally displaced persons seek refuge. He noted that following territorial losses, the military council has intensified its airstrikes against civilian populations, with indiscriminate attacks hitting schools and monasteries, resulting in civilian casualties. The military’s disregard for distinguishing between civilian and military targets has led to widespread destruction and loss of life. The Special Rapporteur also emphasized that Myanmar’s people harbor deep resentment toward military leaders due to forced conscription and human rights violations.
Despite suffering military defeats on the ground, the military council continues to receive financial resources and weapons from various countries, Andrews warned. He stressed that as long as these resources continue to flow, the destruction will persist, and the military council will not hesitate to commit war crimes. Recent international actions have managed to reduce weapons flow to the Myanmar military by one-third, with successful intervention blocking 90 percent of arms transfers through Singapore. Additionally, Bangkok Bank in Thailand has severed ties with Myanmar Economic Bank, effectively cutting off one financial channel used for weapons procurement. The military leader Min Aung Hlaing has announced plans to hold a four-week election period from December to January 2026, but this has been widely condemned as an attempt to legitimize military rule through a fraudulent electoral process.
