International community looks other way on Myanmar— UN rapporteur
(MENAFN) The UN’s special rapporteur on Myanmar’s human rights situation has condemned the international community for failing to respond to what he described as an “invisible crisis,” according to reports.
Tom Andrews, speaking after presenting his latest report to the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee, said conditions in Myanmar have worsened dramatically since the military coup in February 2021. “The humanitarian conditions in Myanmar are significantly worse this year than when I reported them to the United Nations last year,” he stated, noting that nearly 22 million people now require humanitarian aid and 16.7 million face acute food insecurity.
Andrews highlighted a surge in violence, citing that the second quarter of 2025 saw “more airstrikes on civilian targets than any previous quarter since the coup.” He referenced World Food Program data showing that “57% of families in central Rakhine state cannot meet their basic food needs,” up sharply from 33% in December of last year.
“I am here to implore the members of the United Nations to step up and take action that it has simply failed to do,” Andrews said, warning that both humanitarian conditions and international support are deteriorating. The number of people targeted to receive aid has been cut from 6.7 million to 4.8 million, far short of the 22 million in need.
As Myanmar prepares for general elections on December 28, the first since the coup, Andrews dismissed the upcoming vote as a “sham” and a “fraud.” “You cannot have a free and fair election when you arrest, detain, imprison and torture the leaders of the political opposition,” he said.
He also called on the global community to address ongoing violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority, emphasizing that “accountability has to be insisted upon.”
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
