By Diyar Guldogan
WASHINGTON (AA) - The situation in Myanmar continues to deteriorate since the military seized power in 2001, a UN spokesman said Thursday.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "condemns all forms of violence and calls on all parties to the conflict to exercise maximum restraint," spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
Guterres also urged all parties to uphold human rights and international humanitarian law, and prevent further incitement of violence and intercommunal tensions, he added.
The UN chief "reiterates his concern regarding the military’s stated intention to hold elections amid intensifying conflict, including aerial bombardment and widespread human rights violations and without conditions that permit the people of Myanmar to freely and peacefully exercise their political rights, including safety and security," according to the statement.
More than 19.9 million people in Myanmar, more than one-third of its population, need humanitarian assistance, according to UN data.
- UN chief urges 'greater cooperation' among stakeholders
Guterres renewed his calls for "greater cooperation" among the stakeholders to bring an end to the hostilities and help the people of Myanmar forge a path toward an "inclusive democratic transition and return to civilian rule."
"The Secretary-General also appeals to countries in the region to grant access to safety and protection for those fleeing conflict and persecution and for the international community to provide greater support to countries, including Bangladesh, hosting refugees from Myanmar," said Dujarric.
Stressing that Guterres' special envoy, Julie Bishop, remains "actively" engaged with all stakeholders for a Myanmar-led resolution to the crisis, Dujarric said a "viable" future for Myanmar must ensure "safety, accountability, and opportunity" for all communities, including the Rohingya.
Myanmar’s military launched violent operations in 2017 against the Rohingya population in northern Rakhine State, which rights groups have since called a genocide. Nearly 1.2 million Rohingya were forced into neighboring Bangladesh, where they have been living for years in overcrowded refugee camps.
Since the 2021 coup, which ousted Myanmar’s democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s military has carried out a brutal nationwide crackdown on millions of people opposed to its rule.