Myanmar strongly rejects the allegations made by Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee and rejects the validation of the work of FFM and its reports

Date: October 24, 2019

Permanent Representative of Myanmar to the United Nations, Ambassador U Hau Do Suan made his rebuttal statements during the interactive dialogues with Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar Ms. Yanghee Lee and the Chair of the former Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar Mr. Marzuki Darusman.

PHOTO : MNA Permanent Representative of Myanmar to the United Nations Ambassador U Hau Do Suan.

At its 74^th Session of the UN General Assembly, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural) continued its debate on the promotion and protection of human rights in the afternoon session on 22 October 2019. Under the agenda item related to the human rights situation and reports of Special Rapporteurs and Representatives, Ms. Yanghee Lee and Mr. Marzuki Darusam made their oral presentations respectively.

In his rebuttal to the statement of Ms. Yanghee Lee, the Permanent Representative stressed that all independent mandate holders or mechanisms created under the Human Rights Council should strictly adhere to the principles of independence, impartiality, and professional integrity. He also pointed out that the application of double standards, selectivity, and politicisation of human rights issues would never serve the noble objectives of protection and promotion of human rights.

In addressing cooperation with the United Nations, he said that Myanmar is disappointed and disheartened because the country’s goodwill and spirit of cooperation with the UN Human Rights body throughout the past nearly three decades gave nothing but more international scrutiny with numerous country-specific resolutions; more and more invented and unprecedented politically motivated mechanisms to exert political pressures upon Myanmar under the name of human rights.

Moreover, the Permanent Representative raised his concern that comments made by the Special Rapporteur on several occasions during her tenure, lack objectivity and disregard the sentiments of the people of Myanmar which usually cause misunderstanding; generate mistrust and further polarization among diverse communities of Myanmar.

He also mentioned that Myanmar dismayed at Ms. Yanghee Lee’s overall appraisal of the situation in the concluding remarks as she stated: “The situation of human rights in Myanmar continues to deteriorate in many areas.”

Moreover, the Permanent Representative also informed the Committee of the government’s efforts in the areas of democratic transition, socio-economic development, and promotion and protection of human rights.

In the Statement responding to the presentation made by Mr. Marzuki Darusaman, the Permanent Representative reiterated Myanmar’s rejection of the FFM and its entire work, as well as its reports. He also reaffirmed Myanmar’s rejection of the establishment of the Independent Investigative Mechanism (IIM) on Myanmar. He pointed out that IIM is yet another form of unprecedented discriminatory scrutinization on a member country. It was set up beyond the mandate of the UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council.

He pointed out that FFM reports are one-sided nature based on the narratives but not on the facts. He further stated that the reports portrayed the Myanmar security forces as perpetrators of mass atrocity crimes while deliberately ignoring or discounting the provocative and premeditated armed attacks of ARSA terrorists on various security posts in October 2016 and August 2017 which were the undeniable causes of the present humanitarian situation. He further stated that the FFM never condemn the well-documented atrocity crimes committed by ARSA that resulted in the death of security personnel as well as hundreds of innocent people in Rakhine, including a hundred Hindu villagers, in August 2017.

While talking about the security concern in the camps in Cox’s Bazar, Permanent Representative stressed that there is an urgent need to address the security threat of ARSA in the refugee camps to create a conducive condition for the speedy implementation of the repatriation process.

In conclusion, the Permanent Representative stated that Myanmar’s cooperation with the international community is based on the country’s faith in the principles and purposes of the UN Charter and multilateralism. However, there has been a growing sentiment among the people of Myanmar that they are being treated unfairly by the international community about the situation in Rakhine State. Nevertheless, he thanked friends near and far who have been steadfastly standing with Myanmar as the country face the challenges. He stated that Myanmar is confident and determined to overcome all the challenges with the spirit of national unity and the collective strength of its people, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. – MNA