The state-owned television in Myanmar reported that the country’s ambassador to the UN has been fired a day after he urged the international agency to reverse the coup. Since the military took power in February and detained the civilian leader Aung Sung Suu Kyi, the South Asian country has been mired in chaos.
The military alleged that the ruling-NLD rigged last year’s general election, in which Suu Kyi’s party won a land sliding victory. However, the election commission has refuted the military’s claim and maintained that the election was fair. Kyaw Moe Tun, the country’s ambassador to the UN told the General Assembly that he was speaking on behalf of the toppled civilian government.
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He said on Friday, “We need further strongest possible action from the international community to immediately end the military coup.” Meanwhile, Burma’s state television reported that the ambassador had betrayed the country and spoke for an unofficial organization. It further accused him of abusing his power as the country’s representative.
On Saturday, the international agency’s Special Rapporteur on Myanmar Tom Andrews took to Twitter and commended the ambassador’s courage and said that it was high time that global leaders answer the courageous call with serious action. Unlike the western nations, China did not condemn the military takeover and called it an internal matter of Myanmar, adding that it supported an effort to find the solution to the crisis.
Traditionally, the military generals have shrugged off the international pressure. Meanwhile, the world’s prominent petroleum company, Woodside stated that it was cutting its presence in the country over growing concerns of human rights abuses. Meanwhile, the international experts suggest that the military’s decision to fire the ambassador might be the beginning of a long battle at the UN.
The latest coup, stalled the nation’s progress towards democracy, brought tens of thousands of people to streets across the country, and drawn criticism from western nations, with some even imposing strict restrictions and sanctions on army leadership. On Saturday, the police were out in force in cities and towns, in what is being dubbed as the incumbent government’s most sophisticated effort to quell the unrest. Several media outlets reported that police officers in Yangon charged at the unarmed and peaceful protesters.
