The Vietnamese government was named by international media as one of the four countries that prevented the United Nations (UN) from making a tough statement on Myanmar after the coup last month.
Speaking to BBC News Vietnamese on March 18, Mr. Phil Robertson, Asia Deputy Director of Human Rights Watch (HRW) said:
“Vietnam has a very close relationship with the Myanmar military. There is actually a joint venture already established.”
“It is the Mytel mobile phone network between the Myanmar military company and Viettel owned by the Ministry of Defense of Vietnam.”
“We also see Vietnam as an ASEAN member state – a special organization that does not believe that anyone should interfere in the internal affairs of another country.”
“That is why Vietnam, together with Russia, India, and China, prevent the UN from adopting any strong language, using the phrase ‘military coup’, or exerting additional pressure on Myanmar.”
Earlier, on March 10, Mr. Phil Robertson also wrote on Twitter: “People of Burma should know that when the UN Security Council does not take action in connection with the Myanmar military coup – it is due to the villains prevent the UN from taking any action: Russia, China, India, and Vietnam.”
Phil Robertson’s comments came after the UN Security Council released a joint statement on March 9 expressing “deep concern” about events in Myanmar and condemning violence against peaceful protesters. The agency also asked the military to “exercise maximum restraint” while they closely monitor the situation.
However, the statement did not mention the “coup,” did not call for drastic action on Myanmar as some members would like, because of opposition from China, India, Russia, and Vietnam.
This seems different from the wording of mainstream media in Vietnam which still calls the overthrow of civilian government in Burma a “coup.”
Vietnam, India, Russia, and China asking to remove the word “coup“?
In the latest development, protesters burned several Chinese factories in Myanmar, accusing Beijing of being behind the coup in early January.
Civil disobedience movements continued to erupt across Myanmar despite bloody repression from the military government of this country.
As of March 16, at least 149 protesters were killed, including many young people under 20, according to The Guardian.
Protesters, activists, and civilians for many days have begged the international community to intervene and protect the people of Myanmar from military attacks, according to CNN on March 16, 2021.
Many governments around the world have condemned the coup.
The US and the UK have imposed sanctions on Myanmar’s military leaders. The EU also said it would introduce sanctions to expand businesses affiliated with the Myanmar military.
On March 9, all 15 members of the UN Security Council unanimously supported the most drastic declaration since the coup, saying they “strongly condemn violence against those who peaceful demonstrations “and called on the military to “exercise maximum restraint.”
Still on CNN page cited UN diplomats later said China, Russia, and Vietnam oppose the introduction of a tougher statement, even unwilling to call the developments a “coup” in the joint statement and did not threaten further sanctions action against Myanmar.
UN notices are usually issued only after the consent of 15 Security Council members, including permanent and non-permanent members.
Previously, Vietnam announced its candidacy for a member of the UN Human Rights Commission.
Last month, the UN Security Council also sent a statement to the media expressing deep concern about the national emergency imposed by Myanmar’s military and calling for the immediate release of those arrested, but without criticizing the coup due to opposition from Russia and China.
“Not meeting the expectations of the people of Myanmar”
Many in Myanmar are becoming frustrated with international criticism and demands to take more meaningful action, according to CNN.
Myanmar’s ambassador to the UN, Kyaw Moe Tun, told CNN that the UN Security Council’s message “did not meet people’s expectations.”
A group of 137 NGOs from 31 countries called on the UN Security Council to urgently impose a global arms embargo on Myanmar.
Although sanctions have been imposed on Myanmar’s military leaders, the country’s military continues to challenge and declare that they can live with the sanctions as they once did in the past.
Amnesty International has accused the Myanmar military of using lethal force against the protesters and compared it to lawless executions. CNN analyzes more than 50 videos showing pre-calculated and systematic homicides amid deployment of battlefield weapons such as semi-automatic rifles, snipers, and light machine guns that are widely deployed.
Last year, Vietnam and China are also two countries that oppose the UN Security Council to issue a joint statement against Myanmar and call on it to be held accountable for the actions that many voices in the international community. considered “genocidal” the Rohingya
On March 11, Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said at a regular press conference in Hanoi: “We are very concerned about continued violence and casualties in Myanmar recently.”
“Vietnam calls on all parties to exercise restraint, do not use force, through peaceful dialogue to resolve disagreements; hope that Myanmar will soon stabilize, for the benefit of the people of Myanmar, and for peace and stable in the region.”
The People’s Police newspaper in Vietnam in February, which featured events in Myanmar, warned against allowing the armed forces to “betray the Party, protect the interests of the ‘bourgeoisie.’”
In an article (February 20) that is quite clear about the coup in Myanmar, the Vietnamese police newspaper condemned the “de-politicization of the armed forces.”
The article nevertheless used the word “coup” to talk about the situation:
“The rapid overthrow of the ruling government in Myanmar after a military coup is probably a valuable lesson for many ruling political parties in the world,” the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security newspaper wrote.
Thoibao.de (Translated)
Source: https://www.bbc.com/vietnamese/vietnam-56439288
