Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called on Myanmar’s military to release Nobel Laureate and former State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi. After Suu Kyi’s party was ousted from government on February 1, the Myanmar military began arresting and detaining political opponents and demonstrators alike. The military justifies its arbitrary arrests by citing a law which criminalizes any speech that instills fear or spreads false news. Suu Kyi is on trial for a similar offence, including owning unlicensed walkie-talkies, violating Covid-19 restrictions, and allegations of breaking the Secrets Act. In an interview with AFP, Suu Kyi’s lawyer asserted that her arrest was intended to keep her away from the political arena. The call to release Aung San Suu Kyi has come after the Myanmar military freed over 2,000 detainees last week.

“We remain deeply concerned at the continuation of violence and intimidation, including arbitrary arrests, by the security forces,” said Eri Kaneko, a spokesperson for Guterres. Demonstrators share this concern and have taken to the streets in a call for democracy and free speech. Alongside arbitrary arrests are the increasing concerns of sexual violence. Andrew Kirkwood, acting resident and humanitarian coordinator, stated in a video briefing to UN reporters that there are “increasing reports of sexually based violence against them [detainees].”

The UN call to release Suu Kyi is a step in the right direction. Public condemnation of the Myanmar military is crucial for consistent pressure. However, the infringement on free speech and lawful demonstration is a threat to democracy in southern and eastern Asia. Arbitrary arrests, including of political opponents, journalists, and protestors, are used by authorities to quietly commit human rights abuses. Xi Jinping’s detentions in China, police arrests in Hong Kong, and disappearances in Bangladesh are only a few examples of the worsening human rights abuses and political repression in the region. According to the Associated Press, people in Myanmar have called for the presence of UN peacekeepers and collective action by the UN to sanction the military junta. As Louis Charbonneau, UN Director at the Human Rights Watch, notes, “The time for statements has passed…an arms embargo would be the centerpiece of a global effort to protect the people of Myanmar from further atrocities and help bring an end to impunity for crimes under international law.”

The Myanmar military claimed fraud after Aung San Suu Kyi’s party won the election in November 2020. These claims have been denied by an independent election commission which maintains that the elections were free and fair. Despite this, the military overthrew the Suu Kyi government on 1 February and reversed five years of reforms towards democracy. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, military authorities have detained over 6,400 people with more than 880 deaths since the coup. This includes former President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. Since then, demonstrators have urged the UN to pass a resolution on sanctioning the military junta and sending peacekeepers to the region. China, India, Russia and Vietnam have objected to any actions stronger than a public condemnation. UN Security Council approval for sanctions or peacekeepers will require support or an abstention from China, an unlikely scenario as it seeks to maintain its relationship with the Myanmar military.

The conflict in Myanmar has disrupted healthcare access, transportation, and supply chains. As families flee from the city to rural villages, deteriorations in transport will impede access to food. This is exacerbated by the 20% increase in food prices in some regions of the country. A report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated that as of April, over 40,000 people had been displaced in southeastern Myanmar as a result of the conflict. Although humanitarian aid is needed, the banking crisis has limited its effective delivery. ABC News states that OCHA’s 2021 operation plan for Myanmar has received only $34.6M of the $276.5M that was requested. Myanmar is on the brink of a severe humanitarian crisis that demands resources and attention from the UN. Member States must not recognize the military junta as a legitimate government. Humanitarian organizations must work closely with local civil society to avoid participating in centralized institutions now controlled by the military. Additionally, The Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) aims to hold the military accountable through the International Criminal Court (ICC). This is challenging since Myanmar is not a state party to the ICC. This may also cause debate over who is recognized as the legitimate government of Myanmar. Although Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews urged the Security Council to refer the conflict to the ICC, it is unlikely given Russia and China’s veto-powers.