Myanmar Military Junta Closes UN Special Envoy's Local Office

Kristin Schraner Burgener, UN Special Envoy on Myanmar
[Photo by AP]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The Myanmar military government has shut down the office of the UN special envoy, which had been condemning the military and police's atrocities.

According to local media The Irrawaddy on the 22nd, the Myanmar military government announced in a statement that it had closed the UN special envoy's office located in the capital, Naypyidaw.

The military government stated, "We have taken this action as we consider the term of Special Envoy Christine Schraner Burgener to have ended." However, her successor, former UNESCAP Secretary-General Noeleen Heyzer, was already appointed last October.

The UN Myanmar special envoy position was established in 2018 to address the Rohingya issue. At that time, the government forces committed sexual violence, massacres, and arson against the Rohingya, who were protesting religious persecution, killing thousands among them.

The inaugural envoy, Burgener, has strongly condemned the military government for killing civilians since the coup on February 1 of this year.

The UN has also refused the military government's demand to replace current Myanmar Ambassador to the UN, Aung Moe Thun, who is anti-military, with military officer Aung Thurein.

Foreign media reported, "This closure of the office by the military government is seen as a move to resist the UN's pressure to immediately stop the military crackdown on civilians and anti-military forces."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.