HRC46: Oral statement during general debate under Agenda Item 3

Item 3: General Debate

Organisation: Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW)

Speaker:Ellis Heasley

Thank you, Madame President,

CSW urges the Council to fully support transitional justice rooted in accountability and redress for victims.

We are concerned by the brazen assault on democracy by the Myanmar military, who already stand accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide against the country’s ethnic nationalities, including the Rohingya, Kachin, Shan, Chin, Karen and Ta’ang.

While we welcome the convening of a special session on the situation, a decisive international response is still required.

We call for robust sanctions, targeting the military and their enterprises, while avoiding measures that would affect the people or country.

We also call for a global arms embargo.

The coup illustrates the power imbalance inherent in military-civilian hybrid leadership, and the obstacles this can present to democratisation.

Similar concerns arise with Sudan. Despite the appointment of a transitional government in August 2019, several key human rights concerns remain unaddressed, and justice for the crimes of the previous regime, and of members of the current government, remains elusive.

Sudan has been re-integrated into the international community; however, events in Myanmar illustrate the need for continued close scrutiny during the democratic transition.

We call on Sudan to ensure rights and freedoms of all citizens are fully upheld, and to hold perpetrators of violations to account, no matter how historic their offenses.

We also urge the Council to maintain close scrutiny on Sudan’s human rights situation, and to distinguish between positive but limited advances, and lasting structural change.

Thank you