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Amnesty International calls for increased global action on Myanmar coup anniversary – JURIST

Amnesty International Monday called for increased global action and solidarity with the people of Myanmar on the two-year anniversary of the 2021 coup by the military junta or Tatmadaw. Amnesty International highlighted Tatmadaw’s alleged human rights violations in its statement and drew attention to the regime’s use of aerial and ground attacks against civilians who oppose its rule.Deputy Regional Director for Campaigns Ming Yu Hah claimed the lackluster global and regional response to the crisis has facilitated human rights violations, saying:There is no denying that the military is able to carry out its nationwide assault on human rights because of the shockingly inadequate global response to this crisis, which risks becoming forgotten.We can’t let that happen. This anniversary should highlight the need for urgent global action from countries around the world and the Association for Southeast Asian Nations to protect the people of Myanmar, who remain under daily siege from the military.Ming called for more solidarity with Myanmar as it could increase morale and “show them they are not alone.” The statement also called for the UN Security Council to bring the matter to the attention of the International Criminal Court and to impose a “global, comprehensive arms embargo” to prevent military support to the junta. The group cited its own investigation and called for an end to the supply of aviation fuel to the country until reassurances are made that the fuel will not be used in air strikes against civilians.Amnesty released a report on companies involved in supply chains providing aviation fuel to the Tatmadaw in November. The report alleged that the fuel was used by military aircraft in committing war crimes against dissident civilians and exposed the role of Puma Energy, a Swiss multinational oil firm, in supplying fuel to the regime. Ten days after Amnesty disclosed the contents of the report to Puma Energy, the company announced it would exit Myanmar.The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners in Burma claims that about 17,500 people have been arrested by the regime since the coup, and 2,901 have been killed. A UN Security Council resolution last month demanded an end to violence in the country and the immediate release of all “arbitrarily detained prisoners”, including Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

William Charles Potter