People of Myanmar have right to democracy: UN special envoy

The people of Myanmar have the right to democracy and self-determination free from fear, United Nations special envoy Noeleen Heyzer said during a visit to the country yesterday as armed conflict sparked by last year’s military coup continued raging without a clear end.

- Tan Hui Yee

But this “will only be possible by the goodwill and efforts of all stakeholders in an inclusive process”, she said in a statement released late yesterday after meeting senior junta officials, including junta chief Min Aung Hlaing.

The statement said her visit “was aimed at communicating in person the pragmatic steps to deescalate the violence and address the multidimensional crisis”.

This was Dr Heyzer’s first official visit to the country since she assumed her role as the UN Secretary-General’s special envoy for Myanmar in December.

She stressed after meeting the senior general: “My visit is to convey the concern of the United Nations and propose concrete steps needed to reduce the conflict and suffering of the people.

“UN engagement does not in any way confer legitimacy.”