PRESS RELEASE
Creating Divisions is Unacceptable While Fighting against the COVID-19 Pandemic
With the initiative of the United Kingdom (UK), an Arria-formula meeting on Myanmar was held virtually on 29 July 2021 in New York.The nature of the Arria-formula meeting at the Security Council is informal. There is no outcome document released by the meeting. According to the working methods, a
member country of the Security Council can initiate such informal meeting on which all invitees and activists are able to join without any hindrance.
The intention of the organizers to the afore-said meeting is in question. It was observed that the meeting discussed the issue of Myanmar based on fabricated, distorted and one-sided information instead of presenting different voices and opinions from other stakeholders concerned. It was also designed to mislead the international community with the participation of briefers whose views could not objectively reflect the situation on the ground. The participants included representatives from the terrorist organization of NUG and U Kyaw Moe Tun, a dismissed civil servant who has been facing the charge of high treason. Myanmar strongly objects and rejects their participation and their statements at the meeting.
Before the said informal meeting, precisely on 26 July 2021, Mr. Thomas Andrew, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, issued the press release which also contained the same unfounded and distorted elements.
Myanmar has been putting its utmost efforts in containing the COVID-19 pandemic with the aim to vaccinate at least fifty percent of population by the end of this year. To effectively and rapidly carrying out containment, prevention and treatment of COVID-19 in Myanmar, the Tatmadaw has declared ceasefire which was initially declared from 10 May 2020 to 31 July 2021 and extended to date.
During the period from 27 January to 21 July 2021, the majority of health staff and public service personnel have been vaccinated. The vaccination programme has been continuing across the country with 12 targeted groups. Three million doses of vaccine had been arrived recently and additional three million doses will be received in August 2021. Meanwhile, some health workers have been making social punishment by shaming, threatening and intimidating their colleagues not to perform their profession. The Ministry of Health and Sports opens the door to everyone who wishes to work together in fighting against the pandemic and to improve the requirements of human resources in the vaccination programme within a short period of time. The Tatmadaw is providing health care services and COVID-19 related supplies to the public for the COVID-19 precaution, control and treatment measures.
While Myanmar is working hard to contain, prevent and fight against the pandemic, creating divisions and mistrust among its people is unacceptable. Myanmar strongly condemns any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of a sovereign country.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nay Pyi Taw
Dated, 30 July 2021