Today is a shameful day for the rule of law, justice and accountability in Myanmar. The brutal military junta has today confirmed that they see themselves as above the law. Not only do they attack defenceless civilians with battlefield weapons but they attack the very roots of our democracy by subverting and perverting the entire legal system, writing and re-interpreting laws illegally and at will, and corrupting the judiciary to serve only the military’s interests. In this way, they intend to destroy completely any remnants of freedom, democracy, and justice in Myanmar.

From the time that Commander in Chief Min Aung Hlaing and his army treasonously overthrew the democratically elected government, the military junta has not acted in accordance with any laws, principles, or even basic humanity. They have fabricated lies in an attempt to besmirch the democratic movement in Myanmar and detain all its champions. It is in this way that the military unlawfully detained the president U Win Myint and state councillor Daw Aung San Su Kyi, as well as many other duly and democratically appointed representatives of the people.

Since then, the military has held a cavalcade of show trials, kangaroo courts, and travesties of justice. This has allowed the military a pretence to remove democratic leaders from power, and strike fear into the hearts of others. Nevertheless, it is well known by all in the country that the charges are fabricated, witnesses are under duress or bribed, and judges are pressured to deliver extreme sentences. The Myanmar people reject the military’s lies, courts, perversions of justice, and illegitimate claims to power. 

The trials do however serve a second purpose; to grant the military a veneer of legitimacy. To cast doubt on the character of the luminaries of the Myanmar democratic movement, to validate the military’s baseless claims of electoral fraud, to fabricate a political crisis sever enough for military intervention to be justified. These court-room performances serve to win the military time. To cast enough doubt in the minds of the international community to prevent them from taking action to end the genocide, the murders, the destruction, the war crimes. 

We call on Min Aung Hlaing to end his reign of terror against the people of Myanmar and release all the political prisoners who were unjustly arrested, charged, and sentenced. We demand that sovereignty be returned to the people of Myanmar who are the rightful and only masters of their own fate. 

We further implore the international community to protect the human rights and democratic freedoms of the people of Myanmar and their democratically elected representatives. to this end it is vital that they recognise the National Unity government as the legitimate government of Myanmar and the due and democratically elected representatives of her people. The global community must further target sanctions against the military, their personnel, the businesses they own, and any known affiliates and intermediaries. They must also pursue every available avenue of international justice to bring the perpetrators of these crimes against humanity before a court and prosecute them for their deeds.

Sincerely,

H.E. Dr. Sasa
Union Minister of Ministry of International Cooperation
Spoke Person of Nation Unity Government
Former Special Envoy to United Nations