UN envoy warns Myanmar is in crisis as conflict escalates and criminal networks are ‘out of control’

UNITED NATIONS – The UN special envoy for Myanmar has warned that the Southeast Asian country is in crisis, with escalating conflict, criminal networks “out of control” and human suffering at unprecedented levels.

Julie Bishop told the UN General Assembly’s human rights committee on Tuesday, in her first report since her appointment by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last April, that “Myanmar players must move beyond the current zero-sum mentality.”

Myanmar’s army overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021 and suppressed large-scale nonviolent protests seeking a return to democratic rule, leading to increased violence and a humanitarian crisis.

Three powerful ethnic militias seized territory last year, leaving the government’s ruling army increasingly behind in battles that have forced hundreds of thousands of civilians from their homes. According to the UN, 3 million people are internally displaced across Myanmar and about 18.6 million are in need of humanitarian assistance.

Bishop called for an end to the violence, stressing that “little progress can be made in meeting people’s needs while armed conflict continues throughout the country.”

Australia’s former foreign minister said she had engaged with the government, including Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Myanmar’s capital Naypyitaw, as well as opposition figures, ethnic armed organizations, women’s groups, human rights activists and many countries. She did not provide details about the meetings.

She said she interacted with the current, previous and future ASEAN Chairs in Vientiane, Laos; Jakarta, Indonesia; and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The UN envoy said she also visited Myanmar’s neighbors China and Thailand, and would soon visit India and Bangladesh, “continuing to urge neighboring countries to strengthen their influence.” She said she would also return to Naypyitaw, but did not give a time frame. She did not provide details about either meeting.

At a recent summit between the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, known as ASEAN, Bishop said Secretary-General Guterres supported greater cooperation between the UN envoy and the ASEAN chair “on innovative ways to advance the Myanmar-led process.”

This includes the “effective implementation” of ASEAN’s five-point plan, which Myanmar’s rulers agreed to in April 2021 but have done little to implement. It calls for an immediate cessation of violence, dialogue between all stakeholders mediated by an ASEAN special envoy, the provision of humanitarian assistance and a visit to Myanmar by an association special envoy to meet with all stakeholders.

“Any path to reconciliation requires an end to violence, accountability and unfettered access by the UN and its partners to address vulnerabilities among marginalized populations, including the Rohingya, ethnic communities and especially women and youth,” Bishop said.

But she instead pointed to rising civilian casualties and the rule of law “so seriously undermined that transnational crime emanating from Myanmar is spreading.”

“The scale of arms production and trafficking, human trafficking, drug production and trafficking, and fraud centers means that Myanmar now ranks first among all member states for organized crime,” she said. “Criminal networks are out of control.”

The bishop echoed Guterres, who stressed the need to pave the way for a democratic transition and a return to civilian rule.

“I share his concerns about the military’s stated intention to hold elections amid increasing conflict and human rights abuses,” she said.

Bishop warned that “the conflict in Myanmar risks becoming a forgotten crisis.”

“The regional impact of this crisis is clear, but the global impact can no longer be ignored,” she said.