United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on Burma to immediately launch «an inclusive process to return to democratic transition» and to release all political prisoners.
Guterres expressed his concern about the political, security, human rights and humanitarian situation in a country that, he said, «is sinking deeper and deeper into catastrophe».
«I condemn the increasing levels of violence, the disproportionate use of force and the terrible human rights situation,» he said at the Southeast Asia (ASEAN) summit.
He also recalled that indiscriminate attacks against civilians can constitute war crimes under international law and reiterated his call for a return to the path of «lasting peace and security».
In this regard, he urged all ASEAN member countries to seek a unified strategy for ASEAN that focuses on the needs and aspirations of the people of Burma. «I urge ASEAN countries to keep open borders and provide protection to refugees from Burma. No refugee should be forced to return to suffering and danger,» he has maintained.
The international representative also focused on the one million Rohingya refugees – a Muslim minority living mainly in the state of Rajine – and called for urgent action by the authorities to ensure conditions for their voluntary return.
