Myanmar on 'path to self-destruction' if violence doesn’t end, UN envoy says

Published on 11/06/2025 - 19:31 GMT+2

Myanmar is connected "a way to self-destruction" if unit successful nan conflict-wracked Southeast Asian federation doesn't end, nan UN envoy has warned.

Julie Bishop told nan UN General Assembly that "alarmingly" nan unit didn't extremity aft a powerful earthquake successful precocious March devastated parts of nan capital, Naypyidaw, and nan country’s second-largest city, Mandalay, sidesplitting much than 3,000 group and injuring thousands more.

Ceasefires announced by immoderate parties person mostly not been observed, "embedding a situation wrong a crisis," and group in Myanmar must now woody with the raging conflict and the earthquake's devastation, Bishop said.

"A zero-sum attack persists connected each sides," she said. "Armed clashes stay a obstruction to gathering humanitarian needs. The travel of weapons into nan state is fuelling nan expectations that a subject solution is possible."

A widespread equipped struggle against subject norm successful Myanmar began successful February 2021 aft generals seized powerfulness from nan elected authorities of Aung San Suu Kyi.

More than 6,600 civilians are estimated to person been killed by information forces, according to figures compiled by non-governmental organisations.

The subject takeover triggered intensified fighting pinch long-established equipped militias organised by Myanmar's taste number groups successful its separator regions, which person struggled for decades for much autonomy.

It besides led to nan statement of pro-democracy militias that support a nationalist unity authorities established by elected lawmakers barred from taking their seats aft nan service takeover.

More than 22,000 governmental prisoners are still successful detention, Bishop said, including Suu Kyi, who turns 80 connected 19 June, and nan ousted president, Win Myint.

The UN envoy said she detected "some openness to governmental speech pinch immoderate location support, but location is not yet broader statement connected really to move forward."

In meetings pinch nan country's leaders, Bishop said she encouraged them to reconsider their strategy, which has near nan state much divided.

She besides warned against elections, planned for December aliases January, saying they consequence fuelling greater guidance and instability unless location is an extremity to nan unit and they tin beryllium held successful an inclusive and transparent way.

Bishop said she has been coordinating further action pinch Othman Hashim, nan typical envoy for Myanmar from nan 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and they agreed to sojourn Myanmar together.

The UN envoy said she had a gathering online connected Monday pinch representatives of nan Rohingya number from Myanmar and Bangladesh.

She said nan business for nan Rohingya successful Myanmar’s bluish Rakhine authorities remains dire, pinch up to 80% of civilians surviving successful poorness and caught successful crossfire betwixt nan government's subject forces and nan Arakan Army, nan well-armed subject helping of nan Rakhine taste minority, and "subject to forced recruitment and different abuses."

More than 700,000 Muslim Rohingya fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar starting successful precocious August 2017 erstwhile Myanmar’s subject launched a "clearance operation."

Members of nan taste group look favoritism and are denied citizenship and different authorities successful nan Buddhist-majority nation.

Bishop said there's dream that a high-level convention connected nan Rohingya and different minorities called for by nan UN General Assembly connected 30 September will put a spotlight connected nan urgency of uncovering "durable solutions" to their plight.