UN Security Council “Strongly Condemned” Deaths of Civilians in Burma

The UN Security Council issued a statement Thursday “strongly” condemning violence against civilians in Burma, where two months ago the military junta overthrew a democratic government. The statement was originally promoted by the UK.

“The members of the Security Council have expressed their deeply concerned at the rapidly deteriorating situation and strongly condemned the use of violence against peaceful demonstrators, in addition to the deaths of hundreds of civilians, including women and children ”, reads the statement, softened by China and released unanimously after a difficult two-day negotiation.

In earlier versions of the text, obtained by news agencies, theWestern countries wanted to include a “provision to consider additional measures”, with reference to the possibility of international sanctions. But China, seen as Burma’s most important ally, has blocked expression, diplomats said.

Russia, according to the same diplomats, He also blocked the text on several occasions because he called for a death sentence on members of the security forces during the protests, which he did not explicitly obtain.

After the coup d’état of February 1, the Security Council has shown its unity in the form of statements on three occasions, including Thursday. But Beijing, the main supporter of Burma and who did not recognize the existence of a military coup, the scope of the agreed texts has diminished each time.

And the council’s positions have so far had no effect on the military.

Wednesday, UN envoy Christine Schraner Burgener urged the Security Council to use “all means” to avert a “catastrophe” and “bloodshed” in Burma, given what he saw as an “unprecedented” risk of “civil war” .

So when they are done two months after its coup, the Burmese military junta has failed to stabilize the country under its command, besieged by protests and parallel civilian government, resurgent conflicts with ethnic guerrillas and international pressure against their brutality.

In an increasingly tense and dark environment, Protests continued across the country on Thursday against the February 1 military uprising who deposed the elected government of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi and ended a fragile democratic transition.

As the security forces continue with a Brutal repression of protesters and the general population, which left more than 530 dead, the civil disobedience movement has managed to virtually shut down the country’s economy with its strikes.

Faced with this situation a A representative of the Burmese civilian government today called for foreign military intervention to end the massacres of civilians.

“We need some sort of immediate protection of the Burmese, it is important to act quickly because they kill in the streets. Frankly, I would say that military intervention is necessary, ”said Linn Aung, special representative of the Committee of Representatives of the Assembly of the Union (CRPH) in an interview.

This group of elected parliamentarians, mostly living underground in Burma, acts as a “legitimate” or “civilian” government.

With information from AFP and EFE

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