UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations special envoy for Myanmar, Julie Bishop, reported to the UN General Assembly that Myanmar is in a state of severe crisis, marked by escalating conflict, rampant organized crime, and unprecedented human suffering.
Since the military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s government in February 2021, violence has intensified, with powerful ethnic armed groups gaining territory and leaving the ruling military increasingly weakened. The ongoing violence has displaced 3 million people, with 18.6 million in urgent need of humanitarian aid.
Bishop has engaged in dialogue with regional and international stakeholders, urging Myanmar’s neighbors and ASEAN nations to leverage their influence.
The UN supports the ASEAN five-point plan, which includes cessation of violence, inclusive dialogue, and humanitarian aid. However, Bishop highlighted Myanmar’s alarming levels of transnational crime, including arms and drug trafficking, human trafficking, and organized scams, exacerbating the crisis and impacting regional stability.
She warned that Myanmar’s crisis risks global neglect despite its substantial implications, calling for an end to violence, accountability, and unfettered humanitarian access to vulnerable groups, particularly ethnic communities and Rohingya populations.
Bishop’s advocacy aims to rekindle international attention on Myanmar’s path to democratic transition.
