UN Security Council condemns Myanmar violence, urges military restraint

The United Nations Security Council has condemned the violent crackdown on peaceful protesters in Myanmar, but has failed to denounce the recent military takeover in the country as a coup or to threaten further action.

According to reports, in a statement agreed on Wednesday, the UNSC said it "strongly condemns the violence against peaceful protesters, including against women, youth and children," and urged Myanmar's military to show restraint.

"The council calls for the military to exercise utmost restraint and emphasizes that it is following the situation closely," the statement read.

The council further expressed deep concern about the restrictions on medical personnel, civil society, labor union members, journalists, and media workers in Myanmar, and called for "the immediate release of all those detained arbitrarily."

The statement stressed the need "to uphold democratic institutions and processes, refrain from violence, fully respect human rights and fundamental freedoms and uphold the rule of law."

An initial draft of the Wednesday statement had condemned the military coup and said the council was ready "to consider possible further measures," which is generally seen as code for sanctions.

But late on Tuesday, India, Vietnam, China, and Russia all suggested amendments to the draft, including to remove references to a coup and the threat to consider further action.

Last month, the Security Council also issued a statement voicing deep concern about the state of emergency imposed by the junta in Myanmar and calling for the release of all those detained, but stopped short of condemning the coup.

Myanmar has been gripped by turmoil since the military ousted de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a February 1 coup and detained her as well as other senior figures from the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) and took control of the country.

The junta, which has declared a one-year emergency across Myanmar, claimed that it seized power after it found fraud in elections held three months earlier that the NLD had won in a landslide.

SS