| After Burma
Coup Inner City Press Asked IMF of $350M
Now USUN Speaks Guterres Silent
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon Video
BBC
- Guardian
UK - Honduras
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SDNY COURT, Feb
12 – Days after the coup
in Burma, Inner City Press
asked International Monetary
Fund spokesperson Gerry Rice
abou the $350 million the IMF
recently gave the country. Is
there any way to ensure it
does not now support a
military government? Video here.
On February
8, Inner City Press submitted
a question about UN Sec-Gen
Antonio Guterres' failure on
the Rohingya, in light of his
undisclosed links to China and
its convicted UN briber CEFC
China Energy, in a
multi-panelist press
conference. While Naomi
Kikoler noted the UN's silence
on the Rohinga, it was
panelist Khim Maung who named
China, albeit with Bangladesh
and not (yet?) Guterres.
Now on February
12, from the US Mission to the
UN, this: "Statement by U.S.
Mission Spokesperson Olivia
Dalton: This morning the U.S.
Chargé d'Affaires in Geneva
delivered a clear message in
remarks at an urgent session
of the UN Human Rights Council
on the human rights situation
in Burma. The UN Human Rights
Council in Geneva urged full
respect for human rights,
fundamental freedoms, and rule
of law in Burma. This comes
days after the UN Security
Council came together in New
York to issue a strong
statement in support of
democracy in Burma. We stand
with the people of Burma and
will continue to use our
renewed engagement in the
international community to
commit to human rights in
Burma and press for an
immediate return to
democracy." But what wil the
new USUN do about democracy in
the UN -and its continuing ban
of Press? So far we have sent
one e-mail in late January, to
some at the Mission: GorurA
ChatterjeeS WyattJ - but it's
others who should respond and
act. We'll have more on this.
On
February 4, IMF spokesperson
Rice emphasized that the funds
were to combat the COVID
pandemic. He added that the
IMF has not spoken since the
coup with the new regime,
which has reinstalled the
military's previous figurehead
atop the Central Bank. We'll
have more on this, including
contrasts with the US (which
in another embargoed briefing
said it is reviewing all aid)
and the UN, where SG Guterres
refuses all Press questions as
does this month's UNSC
President Barbara Woodward of
the UK.
The United
States, responding to the coup
in Burma, is reviewing all of
its programs that benefit the
Burmese military.
This was said on
an embargoed US State
Department press conference on
February 2, at the same time
that the UN Security Council
was hold a closed meeting
about Myanmar.
The US
State Department official
repeated that cutting US
funding would not impair
assistance to the Rohingya,
and alluded to working with
countries with closer ties to
the Myanmar government, such
as Japan and India.
While the
US State Department official,
on background, described
sanctions on businesses tied
to military figures being
considered, there is no chance
of UNSC sanctions, give for
example China's veto right.
But the United Kingdom as
President of the UNSC for
February did not even push to
have the Tuesday meeting be
open, and UK Ambassador
Barbara Woodward on February 1
banned the Press - which was
given access to Tuesday's
background briefing - from her
UN "press" conference (at
which not a single question on
Africa, for example, was
taken).
Here was
and is Inner City Press'
question to the UK, as UNSC
President: ""on
deadline, for
UK's response
to current
developments
in Myanmar /
Burma. Please
confirm
receipt." This
was sent on
January 31 to
PR Barbara Woodward,
Jaclyn Licht,
Sorcha Lowry
and Isabella
Olex; no
answer from
them or
"spokesman"
Mungo
Woodifield.
On
February 4
from the UNSC,
with the
UK still
blocking Press
access and
refusing its
questions:
"The members
of the
Security
Council
expressed deep
concern at the
declaration of
the state of
emergency
imposed in
Myanmar by the
military on 1
February and
the arbitrary
detention of
members of the
Government,
including
State
Counsellor
Aung San Suu
Kyi and
President Win
Myint and
others. They
called for the
immediate
release of all
those
detained.
The members of
the Security
Council
emphasized the
need for the
continued
support of the
democratic
transition in
Myanmar. They
stressed the
need to uphold
democratic
institutions
and processes,
refrain from
violence, and
fully respect
human rights,
fundamental
freedoms and
the rule of
law. They
encouraged the
pursuance of
dialogue and
reconciliation
in accordance
with the will
and interests
of the people
of
Myanmar.
The members of
the Security
Council
expressed
concern at the
restrictions
on civil
society,
journalists
and media
workers. They
also called
for safe and
unimpeded
humanitarian
access to all
people in
need,
including
through the
re-establishment
of UN relief
flights.
The members of
the Security
Council
reiterated
their strong
support to
regional
organisations,
in particular
the
Association of
Southeast
Asian Nations
(ASEAN) and
welcomed the
ASEAN Chair’s
Statement
dated 1
February 2021.
They also
reiterated
their support
to the Special
Envoy of the
Secretary-General
on Myanmar for
her good
offices.
The members of
the Security
Council
reiterated the
need to
address the
root causes of
the crisis in
Rakhine State
and to create
conditions
necessary for
the safe,
voluntary,
sustainable,
and dignified
return of
displaced
persons.
The members of
the Security
Council
reaffirmed
their strong
commitment to
the
sovereignty,
political
independence,
territorial
integrity and
unity of
Myanmar."
Inner
City Press will have more on
this.
***
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