After 'the denial of democracy' through a coup, Myanmar's military regime has ramped up human rights abuses against its population – and a politician operating in exile says countries like New Zealand must be more outspoken
The human rights minister of Myanmar’s ‘government in exile’ has called on New Zealand to take stronger action against abuses committed by his country’s military regime, saying Kiwis must “use your liberty for us”.
Aung Myo Min has been a human rights activist for 35 years, and after the country’s 2021 military coup was appointed as a minister in the National Unity Government – operating in exile and made up of ousted lawmakers and other pro-democracy advocates.
Speaking to Newsroom during a visit to New Zealand, Aung Myo Min said he was visiting the country to provide an update on the human rights situation in the country and to call for greater action.
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Since seizing power, the military junta has embarked on what UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk described earlier this year as a “scorched earth policy … to stamp out opposition”.
A report from the UN Human Rights Office said at least 2,940 people had been killed and 17,572 arrested since the coup, with a “four-cuts approach” including indiscriminate airstrikes, razing villages to displace civilian populations, and denial of humanitarian access.
Aung Myo Min said the regime’s human rights violations had started with the “denial of democracy” through its coup, and had since expanded to include mass killing of civilians and attacks on innocent communities.
“The current situation of human rights in Myanmar now constitute war crimes … and crimes against humanity, because there's a massive intention of killing the civilians.”
A six-month-old baby had died during a recent attack on a village that killed 168 civilians, he said.
“It’s more than a genocide, it’s a democide – they see the people as the enemy of the army, and are killing everyone without any reasons.”
Aung Myo Min said the execution of innocent human rights activists amounted to “military-organised crimes”, while many more prisoners were still on death row waiting for their fate to be decided.
“Attention is good, but action is a must … we have to stop the military power by doing economic sanctions, arms embargoes and cutting the impunity that make the military always enjoy the criminal actions – that is a must.” – Aung Myo Min
Having taken part in Myanmar’s 1988 pro-democracy uprising as a student activist, he had wanted “to fight for the justice of the people … killed beside me” – a motivation he had carried through to the current day.
“My life is always changing like a drama: student activist, guerrilla warfare … human rights advocate and human rights educators now unexpectedly as a human rights minister.”
As Myanmar’s first openly gay minister, Aung Myo Min was particularly keen to uphold the human rights of LGBT people, who had on occasion faced disproportionately severe violence in the country.
While countries had expressed outrage about the military coup in its early days, he said that outrage needed to be maintained and increased if the junta was to take notice.
“Attention is good, but action is a must … we have to stop the military power by doing economic sanctions, arms embargoes and cutting the impunity that make the military always enjoy the criminal actions – that is a must.”
The people of Myanmar had long thought of New Zealand as “a country of freedom” with an emphasis on human rights, while the country also had strong relationships with neighbouring countries and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
“As our leader said, use your liberty for us: everyone has … personal concern and things like that, but the people in Myanmar are suffering and all basic human rights has been violated, and they're yearning for justice.”
Aung Myo Min said he supported the Government’s decision to boycott an Asean counter-terrorism meeting due (in part) to the involvement of the military junta, saying New Zealand should instead recognise the National Unity Government as the legitimate authority.
Although the Government had supported an Asean-led solution in the form of the grouping’s five-point consensus, “after two years and no traction we have to try and look for another alternative” – Nanaia Mahuta
“I want to see the New Zealand government to be respectful of the will of the people of Myanmar … they don't want the military, they don't recognise the military because they are committing crimes, and they want the NUG as a government.”
Living in exile from Myanmar for the second time in his life, the minister said being separated from the country of his birth was difficult but he had no other option.
“I make myself enjoy the life by working for other people, make my day shorter to return back ... I have many things to do, I can do many things for the people, so sometimes homesick but I make the sickness into a commitment.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said she had met Aung Myo Min to discuss the situation in Myanmar, but in her capacity as a member of Labour’s Māori caucus rather than as a minister.
New Zealand had rejected the military junta from an early stage, Mahuta said, stopping the flow of humanitarian aid through the regime and highlighting concerns about human rights abuses in Myanmar.
Although the Government had supported an Asean-led solution in the form of the grouping’s five-point consensus, “after two years and no traction we have to try and look for another alternative”.
“"We've got the opportunity to discuss, potentially, a different way forward as we sound out at bilateral levels what an alternative looks like,” Mahuta said.
