Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Madam President,
New Zealand remains concerned at the human rights and humanitarian situation in Myanmar, including the ongoing armed conflict in Rakhine that is creating further displacement and instability. This situation is hampering achievement of the on the ground conditions that would alleviate the plight of many thousands of Rohingya people and other minority groups living in Internally Displaced Persons camps.
New Zealand welcomes the most recent report of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar. We recognise the importance of the Mechanism’s mandate to collect, consolidate, preserve, and analyse evidence of human rights violations. Addressing past abuses and grievances is an integral part of achieving sustainable peace and reconciliation, as well as to prevent ongoing discrimination, abuse, and extremism.
As evidence is collated and analysed, perpetrators of human rights violations must be held to account. We urge the Government of Myanmar to ensure there is no impunity and that victims of crime can live in dignity and without fear. New Zealand calls on Myanmar to cooperate with the international community, including with the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar and the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice.
New Zealand is committed to working with the Government of Myanmar and the international community to ensure that these accountability processes strengthen Myanmar’s transition to a sustainable, stable and peaceful democracy, and its continued economic development.
Finally, New Zealand commends the Government of Myanmar for its efforts to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus and for its collaboration with a number of Ethnic Armed Groups in this regard.
Thank you Madam President.