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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Army-ruled Myanmar’s promise of free and honest elections subsequent yr is “preposterous,” a U.N. skilled mentioned Thursday as he warned the worldwide group to not fall for the military regime’s propaganda to legitimize its rule.
Tom Andrews, the U.N. particular rapporteur on the state of affairs of human rights in Myanmar, mentioned the navy has been working exhausting to “create an impression of legitimacy” after ousting the federal government of civilian chief Aung San Suu Kyi in a February 2021 takeover.
“Any suggestion that there could possibly be any chance of a free and honest election in Myanmar in 2023 is frankly preposterous. You’ll be able to’t have a free and honest election in the event you locked up your opponents. You’ll be able to’t have a free and honest election in the event you put your opponents on demise row. That is outrage,” he instructed a information convention throughout a go to to Malaysia.
“Their propaganda machine works across the clock they usually’ll take any shred of proof that they might discover to make it seem as if the worldwide group acknowledges them as official. That’s one thing that we’re very cautious and really cautious of and never fall into that propaganda lure,” Andrews added.
The military seized energy citing widespread fraud within the 2020 common election. It appointed new members to the Union Election Fee, which mentioned that new multiparty polls subsequent yr can be free and honest.
Andrews mentioned ASEAN should ratchet up strain on the Myanmar military to halt its violence and launch all political prisoners. He mentioned ASEAN’s five-point consensus plan ought to be stepped as much as embrace clear actions and time frames.
“The five-point consensus is meaningless whether it is simply sitting on a bit of paper,” he mentioned. “Its solely likelihood of constructing a distinction is to place it into significant motion with a technique, with an motion plan, with a timeframe.”
Andrews praised Malaysia for participating Myanmar’s opposition Nationwide Unity Authorities, arrange by elected lawmakers who had been denied their seats in Parliament by the military coup. He urged different international locations to do the identical, calling the NUG a “official entity” preventing a brutal navy.
He mentioned the NUG may additionally provide assets in delivering humanitarian assist to Myanmar so the junta cannot use the help as a “weapon of battle.”
The navy has confronted widespread opposition to its rule. After troopers and police used lethal pressure to crush peaceable demonstrations, a low-level armed revolt has emerged in each the cities and countryside.
In line with Myanmar’s Help Affiliation for Political Prisoners, greater than 2,007 protesters and bystanders have been killed within the junta’s crackdown, although the federal government places the demise toll at a few third of that.
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