Myanmar: Closed Consultations
This afternoon (19 September), Security Council members will convene for closed consultations on Myanmar. Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific Mohamed Khaled Khiari is expected to brief. The UK, the penholder on the file, requested the meeting.
Council members are expected to discuss the humanitarian situation in Myanmar. According to the latest update from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which was issued on 16 August, persisting conflict has led to a deterioration in the overall humanitarian situation, particularly in northern Shan, the Mandalay Region, and Rakhine State. The update notes that 18.6 million people—roughly a third of Myanmar’s population—are currently in need of humanitarian assistance, and says that there are approximately three million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country, many of whom are living without proper shelter as the monsoon season continues. Of the three million IDPs, an estimated 1.8 million are newly displaced since hostilities began to escalate in October 2023. Efforts to provide humanitarian aid to affected populations have been complicated by flooding in various parts of the country. The situation is particularly serious in central Myanmar, where heavy rains caused by the remnants of Typhoon Yagi resulted in severe floods that have killed at least 226 people in just over a week.
Council members are also likely to focus on the escalating violence against civilians. The latest report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation in Myanmar, which was issued on 4 September, says that at least 5,350 civilians have been killed since the military staged a coup in February 2021, including at least 2,414 people who died between 1 April 2023 and 30 June. During that period, 613 civilian deaths were caused by airstrikes, representing a 739 percent increase compared to the previous 15 months, according to the report. In this context, some members might focus on the Myanmar military’s escalating use of airstrikes and their effects on the civilian population. Members may also refer to Secretary-General António Guterres’ 6 June statement on Myanmar, which expressed concern regarding the increasing violence in the country, strongly condemned attacks by the military that killed civilians, and called for accountability for those responsible for indiscriminate aerial bombings and human rights violations.
Some members might highlight the recent annual report of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), a body created by the Human Rights Council (HRC) in September 2018 to collect evidence of the most serious international crimes and violations of international law in Myanmar and prepare files for criminal prosecution. The annual report notes that the IIMM has continued to collect significant evidence of “more intensive and violent war crimes”, including “aerial attacks on schools, religious buildings and hospitals where there was no apparent military target, and physical mutilations against people detained during the armed conflicts”.
In discussing attacks on civilians, members might mention the situation of the Rohingya. As the conflict in Rakhine State has escalated, reports of serious attacks on the Rohingya have continued to emerge, including attacks that appeared to target Rohingya refugees attempting to flee Myanmar and enter Bangladesh. The High Commissioner’s report also refers to several attacks on the Rohingya carried out by the Arakan Army, an armed group based in Rakhine State that has renewed hostilities against the Myanmar military since an informal year-long ceasefire ended in November 2023. Given these developments, some members may ask Khiari about Bangladesh’s decision to prohibit Rohingya refugees from crossing the border and the effect that this decision is having on the Rohingya who remain in Myanmar.
Council members are expected to refer to the efforts pursued by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to resolve the crisis in Myanmar during today’s meeting. On 25 July, ASEAN foreign ministers met in Vientiane, Laos. In a joint communiqué issued after this meeting, the foreign ministers reaffirmed their “united position” that the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) “remains our main reference to address the political crisis in Myanmar” and expressed appreciation for ASEAN Special Envoy Alounkeo Kittikhoun’s “efforts to continue reaching out to parties concerned in a sustainable manner”. (Adopted by ASEAN in April 2021, the 5PC called for an immediate cessation of violence, constructive dialogue among all parties, and humanitarian assistance, among other measures). The communiqué strongly condemned the ongoing violence and urged all parties to create a conducive environment for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and inclusive national dialogue, while noting that ASEAN will conduct a comprehensive review of the implementation of the 5PC during the upcoming ASEAN summit in October. Following the last review of the 5PC in September 2023, ASEAN members issued a statement that expressed grave concern regarding “the lack of substantial progress on its implementation by the Authority in Myanmar”.
Members are likely to ask Khiari for an update on the work of the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar, Julie Bishop. Since her appointment in April, Bishop has held a series of meetings with officials from the region, including Kittikhoun and representatives of China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Council members are expected to be interested in Khiari’s analysis of recent political developments. On 31 July, military authorities extended the nationwide state of emergency in Myanmar for another six months. Reports published in state media controlled by the junta said that the state of emergency was extended to give authorities more time to gather population data for voter lists ahead of elections currently slated for 2025. On 2 September, the junta announced that it would conduct a census between 1 and 15 October to prepare for these elections. The National Unity Government (NUG), an alliance of politicians ousted during the February 2021 coup, has described the elections as unlawful and argued that they “will only lead to violence and threaten regional stability”.
Members may also ask Khiari for an update on the conflict between the junta and opposition groups. According to recent media reports, the opposition now controls significant territory in Myanmar and is estimated to hold approximately 75 cities and towns as well as two airports in different parts of the country.
Council members are likely to use today’s meeting as an opportunity to discuss the draft resolution circulated by the UK in late August. Among other matters, the initial draft of the resolution reportedly calls for a halt to illicit arms transfers, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access, an immediate end to the violence, and dialogue among the relevant parties. At the time of writing, it appears that the UK has not circulated a further draft of the resolution.
