Execution of four activists aggravates vexing problems of Myanmar, says Thailand

Myanmar nationals living in South Korea wait for marching to condemn Myanmar's recent executions of activists, at the down town in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, July 30, 2022. The UN Security Council on Wednesday unanimously condemned Myanmar's executions of four political prisoners and called for an immediate halt to all violence and "full respect for human rights and the rule of law." - AP

BANGKOK, July 31 (Bernama): Thailand said the execution of four pro-democracy activists would aggravate the vexing problems of Myanmar, and foreclose all efforts towards achieving peace in the junta ruled nation.

Director-General of the Information Department and spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tanee Sangrat said Thailand regretted the loss of four lives and strongly believed the use of force, cruelty and violence could never settle political differences.

Tanee also expressed condolences to the family and loved ones of the four executed individuals.

"We call upon all parties to the conflict to seek, with all their might, durable political resolution so no more lives would be wasted and the people of Myanmar's rights to live in peace are respected,” he said in a statement.

Myanmar military propaganda reported on Monday that democracy activists Kyaw Min Yu, also known as "Ko Jimmy,” and Phyo Zeya Thaw, also a former member of parliament, as well as two other men, Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw, were executed in prison over the weekend.

The military first announced its plans to carry out the executions in June 2022.

The four individuals were sentenced to death by a military tribunal acting contrary to international standards of justice and due process.

Meanwhile, Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M) urged United Nations (UN) and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to take concerted action to exert as much pressure as possible on the junta to bring this crisis to an end.

SAC-M called on Asean to maintain permanently its rejection of Min Aung Hlaing and the military junta from participation in Asean meetings as a consequence of its abrogation of the Five-Point Consensus and contempt for the efforts of successive Asean Chairs to find a solution for Myanmar.

"SAC-M calls on Asean to work with the National Unity Government of Myanmar (NUG) to develop a new roadmap towards resolving the crisis, beginning with the urgent provision of cross-border humanitarian assistance,” it said in a statement.

SAC-M also called all UN Member States to formally recognise the NUG.

It said the UN Security Council should pass a resolution on Myanmar referring the situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

"States that are parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC should also refer the situation in Myanmar to the Court.

"If the ICC cannot act, then the General Assembly or the Human Rights Council should establish a special tribunal on Myanmar to begin the prosecutorial process and bring Min Aung Hlaing, the junta leaders and their cronies to justice,” it said. - Bernama