Myanmar has spiralled into civil war after coup
Says outgoing UN envoy; junta re-arrests more than 100 released in amnesty
Myanmar has spiralled into civil war following a military coup, the outgoing UN special envoy on Myanmar said on Thursday, warning that the chance to return to democracy is disappearing and signalling that further targeted sanctions could be helpful.
Christine Schraner Burgener, who is stepping down after more than three-and-a-half years in the role, told the UN General Assembly in June that there was a real risk of large-scale civil war after the military seized power on February 1, detaining Aung San Suu Kyi and other elected government leaders.
When asked on Thursday if there was now a civil war, she said: "In the international law terminology we use internal armed conflict and I would use this terminology now."
She said it was "very important" that governments and the United Nations do not signal any acceptance of the junta and that the will of the people - who voted a year ago to elect Suu Kyi's government - was protected.
The United Nations is faced with rival claims on who will sit in Myanmar's seat at the world body. A decision by member states is due to be made by the end of the year on whether the junta and or current Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, appointed by the elected government, should represent the country in New York, reports Reuters.
Schraner Burgener said the military had "no interest in compromise or in a dialogue" and that "the opportunity to help put Myanmar back on the path to democracy, democratic reform is narrowing and therefore I urge the member states to act." She also suggested that if more states also imposed targeted measures that could have an effect.
Meanwhile, Myanmar's junta has re-arrested more than 100 anti-coup protesters freed in a recent amnesty, according to a local monitoring group that tracks detentions and killings in the country. The Southeast Asian nation has been in chaos since the February coup, with more than 1,100 killed in a crackdown on dissent and over 8,000 arrested, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), reports AFP.