137 non-governmental organizations from 31 countries called on Wednesday in an open letter to the UN Security Council for the urgent imposition of an arms embargo on Myanmar “in order to dissuade the junta from commit new abuses ”.
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“Governments that allow arms to flow into Myanmar – including China, India, Israel, North Korea, Philippines, Russia and Ukraine – must immediately stop the delivery of arms, ammunition and related equipment ”, add these NGOs.
Among the countries cited, China and Russia (two countries with a veto right), as well as India, a non-permanent member since January, sit on the Security Council.
“Given the mass atrocities against the Rohingya, decades of war crimes and the overthrow of the elected government, the least the UN Security Council can do is impose a global arms embargo on Myanmar », Underlined Kenneth Roth, director of the NGO Human Rights Watch.
The UN Security Council “should also impose targeted sanctions, travel bans and asset freezes for the junta leaders,” claim the signatories of the letter, including, in addition to HRW, dozens of Asian NGOs.