A UN expert on Friday urged the United Kingdom to help mobilise international opposition to the Myanmar military junta’s claim that the election that it will stage later this month is legitimate, while taking other measures to strengthen its support of human rights in Myanmar.
“I am heartened by the United Kingdom’s rejection of the junta’s election scheme,” said Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, in a statement at the end of his visit to the UK.
“I urge the UK Government to proactively reach out to other Governments, especially those in Asia, to ensure they do the same. A strong, coordinated rejection of these sham elections is essential to deny the junta the means to fabricate credibility and legitimacy,” he said.
Andrews urged the UK Government to take stronger measures to address a deepening human rights crisis in Myanmar. “While the military continues to escalate its attacks on civilian targets, there have been no new targeted UK sanctions issued against the junta since October 2024 and protection pathways for desperate Myanmar people appear to be narrowing under newly announced policies,” he said.
The Special Rapporteur noted that the UK’s Human Rights and Democracy Annual Report has not been published since July 2023, leaving a noticeable gap in the articulation of the UK Government’s position and perspective on deteriorating human rights conditions, including those in Myanmar.
“I am also concerned that the Security Council’s engagement on the crisis in Myanmar has fallen short,” the expert said. “As Security Council penholder on Myanmar, I urge the UK Government to increase the visibility of the crisis while demanding junta accountability.”
“The UK could, for example, move to convene a public session on the junta’s failure to implement provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice in the Rohingya genocide case,” Andrews said. “A stronger human rights lens should be integrated into Security Council engagement.”
The Special Rapporteur expressed his horror at the bombing of Mrauk-U General Hospital in western Rakhine State on Human Rights Day, which reportedly killed at least 30 people and injured more than 60. “This attack, carried out on a day when we reaffirm our commitment to human rights, illustrates and underscores the junta’s complete disregard for civilian lives and blatant violation of international humanitarian and human rights law,” he said.
“The United Kingdom is in a unique position to help drive a strong international response, drawing on its leadership role as penholder on Myanmar at the UN Security Council, as a country that has helped restrict the junta’s access to weapons and financing through sanctions, and as a major humanitarian donor,” Andrews said.
“The people of Myanmar have shown extraordinary courage. They deserve an international response that matches their determination,” the Special Rapporteur said. “The United Kingdom can play a decisive role — and now is the moment to act.”