United Nations has called for a ban on arms sales to Myanmar in response to last year’s deadly military coup
The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution criticizing the military junta that deposed the country’s democratically elected government in February.
The UN also urged for the release of political detainees, including Aung San Suu Kyi, the elected leader of Myanmar, as well as an end to violence against peaceful protesters.
“The importance of time cannot be overstated.
The window of chance to stop the military takeover is closing.”
It was backed by 119 countries, with Belarus being the lone dissenter.
Another 36 countries, including Russia and China, Myanmar’s two largest arms suppliers, abstained.
Some abstainers claimed that Myanmar’s problem was an internal matter, while others claimed that the resolution did not add anything to the situation.
The resolution condemns its abuse and violence against its own people “delegitimizes the military regime, and demonstrates its isolation in the eyes of the world,” according to Olof Skoog, the EU’s UN envoy.
However, Myanmar’s UN ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, who represents the country’s elected civilian administration, expressed disappointment with the length of time it took the General Assembly to ratify what he described as a “historic” resolution.
