THE UN Security Council has reportedly prepared a draft resolution on Myanmar to end the violence that has driven tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims to flee. The proposed resolution drafted by Britain and France and would be put on voting anytime, would call on Myanmar to “immediately cease military operations” and allow refugees now living in makeshift camps in Bangladesh to return. But information is however scanty if China and Russia will lend full support to it, they are protecting Myanmar so far.
What’s puzzling is that the six-page text hasn’t included any pre-condition for sanctions, but lays out a series of concrete demands, as reported by an international news agency. Against this backdrop the question involuntarily arises – what would the UN do if military operations don’t stop against the helpless minority in the Rakhine province? Most importantly, in what way would the UN penalise Myanmar if the resolutions, once finalised not followed by Myanmar ?
The draft resolution, first formal response from the top UN body, is likely to face strong opposition from China as many fear to need tough negotiations ahead of reaching an agreement. The point, however, is about the core purpose of the resolution and if the UN will take a dominating position to implement the resolution successfully. The UN shouldn’t leave the perilous legal loopholes unaddressed and go by a face saving process at a time. Myanmar military is accelerating the ethnic cleansing operation of the Rohingyas from their land.
The fact is – the 1.1 million plus Rohingyas have faced decades of extreme discrimination in the Buddhist-majority Myanmar and were denied citizenship since 1982 effectively rendering them stateless. On top of it Myanmar policy is never to take them back and only decisive UN action can reverse the situation.
In this regard, various Rights groups too have accused the Security Council of dragging its feet on Myanmar calling for tougher measures, such as an arms embargo and targeted sanctions. These crucial clauses should not be in any way excluded.
The crisis, as it has been reiterated many times before it is no longer Myanmar’s domestic matter, it is now a global crisis with spilling over problems for others beyond Myanmar’s borders. The global community can’t be silent spectators to the carnage as indiscriminate killing, raping women and torching of Rohingya villages by Myanmar military continue.
We feel the resolutions should be more practical including call deployment of UN peace keeping in the ground. Imposing arms embargo on Myanmar has become a must and wider economic sanctions should be there if Myanmar fails to respond to the UN call to stop its killing machine. If the UN demands are not fulfilled the Security Council should be even tougher to force Myanmar to pay heed to the call of the global community.
