Coup in Burma: Ambassador to the UN makes a spectacular break with the junta
Burmese Ambassador to the United Nations Kyaw Moe Tun raises three fingers in protest against the military coup in his country, outside the UN General Assembly on February 27, 2021. AP
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
This Friday, February 26, the Burmese ambassador addressed his counterparts in the hemicycle of the United Nations General Assembly.
He not only denounced the junta and its abuses in detail, but also called for more support from the international community.
He was applauded and encouraged by the United States, the European Union and the Organization for Islamic Cooperation.
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With our correspondent in New York,
Carrie Nooten
Right now in Rangoon, the junta is doing everything to erase the notions of a coup.
The Burmese Ambassador to the UN has used the biggest diplomatic sounding board to condemn the actions of the generals since February 1 in particular - and for decades globally.
He spoke immediately after the briefing of the UN special envoy to Burma, who had just said that it was time to "
sound the alarm
" against violations of the Constitution.
Visibly moved, Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun began his address to the General Assembly by recalling that he represented the democratically elected government, and the National League for Democracy (NLD) of Aung San Suu Kyi.
He quoted Secretary General Antonio Guterres who had said that
a military coup
was not acceptable in this modern world.
►
To read also: The United Kingdom sanctions six officials of the Burmese junta
Three fingers raised
Then, for 12 minutes, Kyaw Moe Tun denounced the pressures and crimes committed by the army against the civilian population, and ethnic minorities in particular.
Crimes against humanity - he didn't mince those words.
His voice was broken at times, especially when he called for stronger action from the international community to help restore democracy.
He ended his speech in his language, addressed to the Burmese, and with three raised fingers, the symbol of the country's protest.
►
See also: Indonesia's compromise proposal badly received by the Burmese
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