UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur – report to UN General Assembly, 2023
The people of Myanmar continue to suffer from a deteriorating human rights and humanitarian crisis. The coup of February 2021 has been followed by ever greater levels of human rights violations, violence, oppression, lawlessness, and poverty.
In this report, the Special Rapporteur describes conditions in Myanmar that should be of grave concern to Member States. However, he also describes developments that offer a path forward for a more effective international approach to the crisis.
UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur – report to UN General Assembly, 2022
The Special Rapporteur outlines the human rights and humanitarian catastrophe in Myanmar, and describes the essential and awe-inspiring work being done by Myanmar civil society in the most challenging of circumstances. He calls on the international community to view civil society in Myanmar as a vital partner in addressing the crisis in the country, working with grass-roots networks to deliver aid and increasing financial and technical support to civil society organizations.
The fate of Myanmar depends on the activists, organizations and networks that have risen to defy military rule, defend human rights and prepare for a free and democratic future. They need and deserve a significant increase in support from the international community.
UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur – report to UN General Assembly, 2021
Presenting his report to the UN General Assembly as the military junta deploys tens of thousands of troops and heavy weapons to northern Myanmar, the Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews warns that Myanmar could be on the eve of an even greater human rights catastrophe.
The report warns that the current trajectory of developments in Myanmar points to protracted authoritarianism, an even greater loss of life, a humanitarian disaster and a failed State that is a threat not only to the people of Myanmar, but to the region and the world.
Presenting the report’s findings, Tom Andrews calls for an arms embargo and sanctions on the oil and gas industry: “Targeting these three needs of the junta — weapons, money, and legitimacy — while increasing humanitarian support to the people of Myanmar, is urgently needed and I believe the best means for the international community to support the people in Myanmar.”
UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur – report to UN General Assembly, 2020
On the eve of national elections in Myanmar, the new Special Rapporteur, Thomas Andrews, expresses continuing concern over the lack of fundamental rights and freedoms in the country.
Among many other recommendations, he urges the government to give the Rohingya the right to vote and access to citizenship, to end the persecution of journalists and arbitrary detention, to enforce a nationwide ceasefire, to end violations against civilians, and to guarantee access to humanitarian actors.
UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur – report to UN General Assembly, 2019
Myanmar continues to deny access to the Special Rapporteur. The human rights situation in Myanmar continues to deteriorate in many areas, notably in the context of the transition to democracy, armed conflict, the peace process and several business sectors and industries.
She makes a series of recommendations on business and human rights, civil and political rights, and in particular the situation in Rakhine, Kachin and Shan States.
UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur – report to UN General Assembly, 2018
The Special Rapporteur reports on the continued denial of access to her by the Government of Myanmar. She made a request to visit India in order to meet refugees from Myanmar, and received no response. As a result, she visited Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar, in Bangladesh, in June/July 2018.
The Special Rapporteur reiterates that the onus is on the international community to take action, and urges it to establish an accountability mechanism under the auspices of the United Nations immediately.
UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur – report to UN General Assembly, 2017
The Special Rapporteur, Yanghee Lee, reports on her visit to Myanmar in July 2017 and makes 85 recommendations. She hopes for better access to the places that she requests on future visits and for a more conducive environment in which to meet with non-Governmental interlocutors. She recognizes that development and security are pressing priorities for Myanmar currently. However, she also urges Myanmar to recognize human rights as an equal priority.
UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur – report to UN General Assembly, 2016
The Special Rapporteur reports on her visit to Myanmar in June and July 2016. Her aim was to make a comprehensive, objective and balanced assessment of the human rights situation since the formation of a new Government in March 2016. She concludes that Myanmar’s young democracy can only progress if human rights are fully integrated into its institutional, legal and policy framework.
UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur – report to UN General Assembly, 2015
The Special Rapporteur reports on her visit to Myanmar in August 2015, when Myanmar was dealing with the devastating impact of the floods and subsequent landslides. She concludes by emphasising that the credibility of the elections to be held in November 2015 will be judged by the environment in which they are conducted and the extent to which all sectors of Myanmar society have been allowed to freely participate in the political process.
UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur – report to UN General Assembly, 2014
“The important transition and far-reaching reforms in Myanmar must be commended. Yet, possible signs of backtracking should be addressed so as not to undermine the progress achieved … Thus, human rights should be fully mainstreamed into Myanmar’s institutional, legal and policy framework, and a culture of respect of human rights must be engendered among all State institutions and the public at large.”
UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur – report to UN General Assembly, 2013
The Special Rapporteur describes how the reforms under way in Myanmar continue to create the prospect of significant improvements in the human rights situation. He highlights, however, the dangers of glossing over shortcomings in the area of human rights or presuming that these shortcomings will inevitably be addressed through the momentum of current reforms.
UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur – report to UN General Assembly, 2012
The reporting period has again seen dramatic and accelerated changes in Myanmar, which can further improve the country’s human rights situation, but also the persistence of long-standing concerns that continue to pose risks to the reform process.
UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur – report to UN General Assembly, 2011
This is a key moment in Myanmar’s history and there are real opportunities for positive and meaningful developments to improve the human rights situation and deepen the transition to democracy. The new Government has taken a number of steps towards these ends. Yet, many serious human rights issues remain and they need to be addressed.
UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur – report to UN General Assembly, 2010
This focusses on human rights in relation to the (forthcoming) elections in November 2010. It finds the conditions for genuine elections are limited and questions the potential for them to bring meaningful change. It also includes the responses of the Burmese Government to the previous Special Rapporteur’s report.
UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur – report to UN General Assembly, 2009
The trial of Aung San Suu Kyi and her sentence of a further period of house arrest, preventing her participation in the 2010 elections, is covered in this report. It concentrates on human rights protection issues and reiterates the Special Rapporteur’s recommendation of 4 core human rights elements.
UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur – report to UN General Assembly, 2008
The new Special Rapporteur, Tomás Ojea Quintana, reports on his visit to Myanmar in August 2008 and makes recommendations on the main human rights issues: review of national legislation, progressive release of prisoners of conscience, the armed forces and the judiciary.
UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur – report to UN General Assembly, 2007
In this report the Special Rapporteur deplores the fact that whilst human rights concerns are similar to those in the previous report, he had not been permitted to visit the country. It criticises the lack of effective commitment to respond to the human rights situation. It concludes with 14 specific recommendations to improve the situation.
UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur – report to UN General Assembly, 2006 update
Corrections to Special Rapporteur’s 2006 report.
UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur – report to UN General Assembly, 2006
The Special Rapporteur noted that a few days earlier the Security Council had voted to include Burma in its agenda. This report refers to the culture of impunity for human rights abuses and warns of a humanitarian crisis.
UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur – report to UN General Assembly, 2005
The Special Rapporteur has not been permitted to conduct a fact-finding mission to Myanmar since November 2003.
There reportedly remain over 1,100 political prisoners, HIV/AIDS has become a generalized epidemic and serious human rights violations continue to be perpetrated against Myanmar’s ethnic minority communities.