HRC50 - NB8 statement - Panel discussion on human rights violations on Rohingyas and other minorities in Myanmar

Human Rights Council – 50th session

Panel discussion on human rights violations on Rohingyas

and other minorities in Myanmar

Statement by Denmark on behalf of the Nordic Baltic countries

15 June 2022

I have the honor of delivering this statement on behalf of the Nordic and Baltic countries: Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and my own country Denmark.

We remain extremely concerned about the continued deterioration of the human rights situation in Myanmar as a consequence of the military coup. We strongly condemn the coup and call on the military to ensure full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including for Rohingya Muslims and other ethnic and religious minorities. We call upon the Myanmar military leadership to end the state of emergency without delay, restore democracy and civilian rule, and immediately release all those arbitrarily detained.

We reiterate our deep concern about the escalating violence and the continued forced displacement of civilians, making conditions unsuitable for voluntary and safe return. Ensuring accountability for serious international crimes remains critical.

The crisis in Myanmar is also humanitarian. Safe and unimpeded humanitarian access must be ensured. The Nordic Baltic countries continue to support ASEAN in their efforts to find regional solutions to the crisis. We call upon the Myanmar military leadership to engage constructively with ASEAN and stress the importance of implementing the Five-Point Consensus effectively and without further delay.

We would like to ask the panelists: How can we best contribute to addressing the root causes of human rights violations and abuses in Myanmar in this challenging context?