The world must impose more sanctions on Myanmar's military | Halek Hossain

 

Since the coup on February 1 last year, Myanmar's military government has been attacking civilians with weapons provided by China, Russia and Serbia. This was stated in a report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council in February on the human rights situation in Myanmar.

According to the report, the two permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and Russia, and Serbia have given weapons to Myanmar. These weapons have been used against civilians in Myanmar since the military coup. It added that despite evidence of military junta atrocities, Russia and China have promised Myanmar's military government numerous warplanes, armored vehicles, and Russia has promised more weapons. During this time, the Serbian government authorized the export of rockets and artillery to the Myanmar military.

Economic and arms embargoes must be imposed to put effective pressure on Myanmar. It is not enough to simply impose sanctions on certain military officials or companies. At the same time, major regional powers must play a stronger role in ensuring that Myanmar takes responsibility for its own actions.

The Rohingya crisis was created by Myanmar and the solution lies in Myanmar. Although the Rohingyas voluntarily want to return to their homes with full civil rights, Myanmar has yet to create a favorable environment for their repatriation. The Myanmar military is still wreaking havoc there. The international community must put pressure on Myanmar to create an enabling environment. The situation is bound to improve if the international community imposes arms and economic sanctions on the country. For this, the UN Security Council or the international community should take appropriate measures.

According to the international human rights group Fortify Rights, Myanmar's army is killing civilians in Karen State, using them as human armor, which amounts to a war crime. The group called on ASEAN member states to abide by the UN Security Council's arms embargo to ban the sale of arms and technology to Myanmar's military.

A clear and concise initiative is needed to force the Myanmar military to rethink its response to attacks on civilians. Myanmar's junta must push the Tatmadaw to allow the Rohingya to return home with full dignity and civil rights in Bangladesh. To that end, the international community should impose an arms embargo and economic sanctions on Myanmar.

impose restrictions

Sanctions can be imposed by the UN Security Council or countries themselves. The international community must impose sanctions on Myanmar's military. Myanmar should consider imposing sanctions on businesses associated with the military.

Sanctions imposed by the US, UK and Canada on Myanmar institutions is a positive step. Other countries should also take similar steps. The army has become reckless since the military coup. A global effort must be made to prevent them. The most obvious and peaceful way to do this is to take measures to prevent the army from accumulating money and arms.

Only pressure, pressure and pressure on Myanmar's military can force the junta to restore democracy in compliance with international law. The international community, including ASEAN, must pressure and teach Myanmar's military how to respect all ethnic groups.

More than a year ago, Myanmar's armed forces chief General Min Aung Hlaing ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD government over allegations of electoral fraud. Myanmar's democrats have been calling for non-cooperation of the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) against the government.

Although the "Spring Revolution" was a peaceful non-cooperation movement, it was heavily attacked by the military. The brutality of the army increased after various sections of the society, including the youth, raised resistance. Remnants of the urban movement once spread throughout Myanmar. At least 1,500 civilians have been killed by the Myanmar army in the past year. In retaliation, the PDF, the military wing of the NUG, known as the Alternative Government, called for the killing of 3,000 soldiers.

Bloody clashes continue between Myanmar's army and various armed groups. On the other hand, in 2017, the then UN human rights chief called Myanmar's "clearance operation" against the Rohingya a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing".

Many young people have been fighting against the military since the military junta took power a year ago. The combination of the level of violence and the attacks suggest that the conflict is slowly turning into a civil war.

Selling weapons

Despite international condemnation of Myanmar's military atrocities against the Rohingya, arms sales to the country have not stopped. Apart from this, various countries have maintained commercial relations with the country. China, Russia, India, South Korea, North Korea, Israel, Ukraine and the Philippines have been pushing for a permanent solution to the Rohingya problem, along with arming Myanmar.

Myanmar's military, aided by its civilian allies, continues to perpetrate brutal violence and torture against its own citizens. They have refused to accept democratic reforms, launched coups to seize power, violently repressed pro-democracy protests, escalated civil wars with armed ethnic groups, and continued to suppress free speech and civil rights.

However, trade relations with many developed countries have improved in the last four years. International support for the Rohingya has also declined. If the world continues to give Myanmar free rein on human rights abuses for the sake of trade, does this mean global justice and the moral responsibility of the international community?