Since the Junta attempted its attempted coup (it has not succeeded) in February 2021 it has not been able to take control or govern in Myanmar, instead it has committed numerous atrocity crimes against the peoples of Myanmar, with the UN’s own Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar. saying:
“Crimes against humanity continue to be systematically committed in Myanmar, with ongoing conflicts severely impacting women and children” [1]
As 9th Sept 2022 at over 2272 people have been killed by the Junta’s security forces & over 15,000 arrested at least 4 pro-democracy figures executed & over 100 sentenced to death [2]. Villages & towns have been burned down, Hundreds of thousands have been displaced and are in desperate need of support. These numbers continue to grow & will continue to until the Junta are wholly removed from power.
On these points alone allowing the Junta to take up the seat at the UN General assembly would be a huge blow to the already somewhat tattered reputation of the United Nations, it would be a signal that the world does not care when gross human rights violations occur. Something that sadly many already believe.
Moreover the current ambassador has the legitimacy to represent the peoples of Myanmar. The elections in 2020 elected a majority of non-military aligned MPs who post the attempted coup formed the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), which then went onto form the National Unity Government (NUG). Subsequently the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) a coalition with representatives from many Strike Committees, Unions, Civil Society organisations, Ethnic Minority groups (Both armed & civil society) was formed to ensure even broader representation & engagement with the NUG.
While we are not uncritical of the NUG, we believe that it represents the broadest swathe of the Peoples of Myanmar, has an electoral mandate and as such should via Kyaw Moe Tun be represented at the UN general assembly.
Only a fool would believe that the elections in 2023 proposed by the Junta will be free or fair. So that “Excuse” is moot, indeed the peoples of Myanmar have already rejected the military both in the 2020 elections and with their continued defiant resistance to the attempted coup.
Additionally within resistance controlled areas especially those under the auspices of Ethnic organisations, alternative governance to the Junta exists & is being developed. Ethnic organisations such as the KIO & KNU have long standing systems of governance within their territory, education, healthcare & other civil services. NUG affiliated local administrations & services are also developing such as in Pinlebu Township, Sagaing Region NUG through local PDF is providing healthcare services [3]. Education services both online and in person have been developed with 1000s of teachers who have joined the Civil Disobedience Movement [4]. While these are still in early days & much of the focus is on filling basic needs in (Food, shelter, medical care) for 10,000s of IDPs, towns & villages that have been cut off from other forms of support [5].
This is in stark contrast to the Junta where civil services have deteriorated dramatically & their control & ability to govern seriously diminished
While we recognise the theoretical importance of the UN in finding a solution we have been disappointed over and over again by its lack of action & failure to take significant steps against the Junta in Myanmar. We note that much of this is due to the deadlock in the security council, which makes it even more important that the Peoples of Myanmar’s voice is heard in the General Assembly & that the seat is not used my the murderous Junta to peddle it’s propaganda or whitewash it’s crimes.
So we join the many voices in calling for the UN General Assembly credentials committee to:
1) Reject the application of the Junta in Myanmar to take up Myanmar’s Seat at the general assembly.
2) Accept Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun position as Myanmar’s ambassador to the UN & to recognise the NUG as the legitimate government of Myanmar.
The Milk Tea Alliance - Friends of Myanmar group came into being from a shared desire among movement leaders, organizers and activists not only for democracy but also for solidarity and inclusion. We, thus, commit to continue interrogating, challenging and addressing marginalization and privilege in our own organizations and movements. It is only through confronting our past, and recognizing our respective roles in it as well as our capacity to change and learn, can we realize a genuine, inclusive democracy for Myanmar and Asia.
#MilkTeaAlliance
(For Release 15th September)
For enquiries about this statement please contactMilkTeaAllianceFriendsofMyanmar protonmail.com
Initial Organisational Signatures
MilkTeaAlliance - Friends of Myanmar
MilkTeaAlliance- Calendar Team
MilkTeaAlliance - Friends of Thailand
MilkTeaAlliance - Galleries Team
MilkTeaAlliance - Indonesia
MilkTeaAlliance - PH
Marawi Advocacy Accompaniment (Tirmizy Abdullah)
ALTSEAN-Burma (Debbie Stothard)
Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID) (Marc Batac)
Tamtang Group (Supecha Baotip)
Daughters of Charity of St. VINCENT DE PAUL-Justice and Peace (SR. MA. LIZA H. RUEDAS,DC)
UP CIDS Program on Alternative Development (Ryan Joseph Martinez)
countary member of Myanmar (SAGA) (Thida Aye)
Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (Solidarity of Filipino Workers / BMP) (Rasti Delizo)
The Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS)
Asia Justice and Rights
Building and Wood Workers International (Apolinar Z. Tolentino, Jr.)
Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (Saeed Baloch)
International Peace Bureau (Lisa Pelletti Clark)
Democratic Commission for Human Development (Sher Zaman)
GEFONT (Smritee Lama)
Vrede vzw - Belgium (Ludo De Brabander)
Innovation for Change-East Asia
Myanmar Human Rights Association Network(MHRAN)
Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma (TACDB)
Friends of Third World(FTW) (Freddy Gamage)
Gaston Z. Ortigas Peace Institute (Karen Tanada)
Neon Metin (Ato Lekinawa Costa)
Europe solidaire sans frontières (ESSF), France (Pierre Rousset)
Global Myanmar Spring Revolution (Mon Zin)
Young Progressives Hub (YPH)
The William Gomes Podcast (William Nicholas Gomes)
Boat People SOS (Dr. Nguyen Dinh Thang)
Fresh Eyes (Andy Rutherford)
The Peace Union of Finland (Kalle Sysikaski)
TEUPM (HAFIZAL HAMID)
Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network - SAFEnet (DAM)
Twitter Team for Revolution
North South Initiative (Adrian Pereira)
SHAPE-SEA (Joel Barredo)
Zomi Catholic Community Portland (Francis Kham)
Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security (Joseph Gerson (PhD))
Alliance for Conflict Transformation (ACT) (Sotheavy Srey)
Democratic Youth Council (Myanmar) (Omega)
Tampadipa Institute, Myanmar (Khin Zaw Win)
The May 18 Memorial Foundation
Initial Individual signatures:
Johnson, Ching-Yin Yeung
Xun-ling Au
Safina Maulida
Anelyn de Luna
Corazon Valdez-Fabros
Raevene Morillo
Christine Vertucci
Fred Goddard
Rachel Arinii
Soe Myint Tin
Sokhany Prak
Marlies Roth
Yan Naing
Nuchnalin Leerasantana
Ellene sana
Roger Daenekindt
Professor Anu Chenoy
Siu Pan Lam
Asher Serrana
Mon Zin
Joseph Paul
May SS
Zana Fauzi
There were additionally 18 People whose names are withheld as they did not wish to be identified but wanted to be counted.