Call for arms embargo against Myanmar

Fortify Rights and 136 other organisations have written an open letter demanding that the UN Security Council institute a coordinated, global arms embargo against the Myanmar military.

In the letter to the body and UN member states today, they said: "The Myanmar military poses a demonstrable threat to international peace and security."

In a statement today, Matthew Smith, Chief Executive Officer at Fortify Rights, said, "The Security Council should break its long history of inaction on Myanmar and immediately respond to this crisis."

Signatories to the open letter hail from 31 countries and include Fortify Rights, Human Rights Watch, and a diverse group of human rights organisations worldwide.

Dozens of Myanmar-led organisations based in the country and Rohingya-led organisations signed the letter, demonstrating a level of inter-ethnic unity in the wake of February 1 coup in Myanmar, Fortify Rights said.

On Monday, millions of people throughout Myanmar joined the "civil disobedience movement" by participating in a nationwide general strike and street protests.

State security forces have used lethal force against unarmed protesters, killing Wai Yan Htun, 16, and Thet Naing Win, 36, in Mandalay and Tin Htut Hein, 30, while he was on "night watch" in Yangon on February 20.

In addition to overthrowing a democratically elected government and arbitrarily detaining an elected world leader, the Myanmar military is also responsible for mass atrocities and protracted human rights violations committed with impunity against the Rohingya and the Arakanese (Rakhine), Kachin, Shan, Karen, and other people.