UN rights chief calls for arms embargo addressing Myanmar humanitarian crisis News
MgHla, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
UN rights chief calls for arms embargo addressing Myanmar humanitarian crisis

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Friday urged the international community to implement an arms embargo and targeted sanctions on Myanmar. Türk delivered his statement at the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council, describing the rights situation in Myanmar as one of the worst in the world with a “litany of human suffering,” including indiscriminate air-strikes, summary executions, torture, and famine.

Türk noted that Myanmar’s economic collapse has increased corruption and crime, making the country a significant hub for organized crime and drug production. Human trafficking has risen sharply, especially in scam centers where victims endure severe abuse.

Furthermore, clashes between junta forces and opposition armed groups have led to a humanitarian disaster, displacing over 3.5 million people and leaving 15 million facing hunger, with two million at risk of famine. A September 2024 report from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights documented ongoing violations since the military coup in February 2021. The report confirmed at least 5,350 deaths as of June 2024.

Hostilities between the military and the Arakan Army in November 2023 have further intensified as the latter expanded its control in Rakhine State.  In response, the military carried out extensive roadblocks and launched indiscriminate air-strikes in the area.

The crisis has particularly affected vulnerable groups, especially the Rohingya minority. Many are risking sea journeys to escape persecution and violence, primarily heading to Bangladesh. As of January 31, 2025, according to the UN Refugee Agency, Bangladesh is home to over 1 million Rohingya refugees who fled ethnic and religious violence in Myanmar.

“Given the humanitarian, political and economic impacts fuelling instability across the region, the international community must do more,” Türk underscored. He called for an arms embargo and targeted sanctions, especially on jet fuel and dual-use goods, to better protect the people of Myanmar. Relatedly in April 2024, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution calling for an aviation fuel embargo against Myanmar in response to the escalating armed conflicts in Myanmar.

Türk also called on the international community to hold Myanmar’s military leaders accountable for the crimes they have committed. Relatedly in February, an Argentinian court issued international arrest warrants for 22 Burmese military officials, including Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing for charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. 

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