Item 4: ID with the Special Rapporteur on Myanmar

Organisation: Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW)

Speaker: Ellis Heasley

Thank you, Mr President.

CSW thanks the Special Rapporteur for his update and continued work.

The situation in Myanmar requires urgent action.

Over 20,000 civilians have been arrested since the coup, and over 16,000 remain in detention.

Myanmar’s democratically elected head of government Aung San Suu Kyi is serving a total of 33 years in prison. Aged 77, if she serves her full sentence she will not be released until she is 100 years old.

Among those detained is Reverend Dr Hkalam Samson, former President of the Kachin Baptist Association who was arrested on 5 December 2022, and is facing charges of “incitement”, “unlawful association” and an additional charge under the counter-terrorism law, simply for holding a prayer meeting and additional meetings with the democratic and ethnic opposition.

If convicted, Reverend Samson could face up to 13 years in prison. Aged 65, there are concerns about his health and well-being.

We call for Reverend Samson’s immediate and unconditional release along with all other religious and political prisoners.

The conflict in the ethnic states has resulted in the displacement of 1.3 million people and the destruction of tens of thousands of houses and other buildings.

Dozens of churches in Chin, Kachin, Karenni and Karen states have been bombed, burned, destroyed and desecrated, along with Buddhist temples and Islamic mosques.

We also note new restrictions imposed in Chin State requiring Chin Christians to seek permission to go to church on Sundays.

We welcome the arms embargo and targeted sanctions, particularly on aviation fuel, imposed by many Member States, and we urge those who have not yet done so to join these efforts.

Finally, we call on this Council to support existing and potential accountability mechanisms to ensure that the military is not permitted to commit atrocity crimes with impunity.

Thank you