A recent United Nations report describes a deepening crisis unfolding in Myanmar due to the escalation of conflict, which has resulted in rampant criminal activity and human suffering unlike anything witnessed before.
On Tuesday, UN Special Envoy for Myanmar Julie Bishop told the UN General Assembly’s human rights committee that local actors had to go beyond a “zero-sum mentality.” She immediately called for a stop to violence, underlining that any real progress toward addressing humanitarian needs is impossible. At the same time, the armed conflict in the country is ongoing and causing more and more civilian casualties.
Bishop said the continuing conflict had severely undermined the rule of law, allowing transnational crime to run rampant. “The sheer scale of arms production, human trafficking, drug manufacturing, and scam operations means Myanmar now ranks highest of all member states for organized crime,” she said. “The criminal networks are out of control.
Since the military coup in February 2021, which saw the ouster of the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, the security forces have responded to widespread protests with violent suppression, ceding ground to powerful ethnic armed organizations. According to the UN, three million people are now displaced within Myanmar, and 18.6 million people need humanitarian aid.
Former Australian foreign minister Bishop has met with government officials, including Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, and opposition representatives, though dates were not specified.
She has also visited China and Thailand and is expected to meet officials in India and Bangladesh to urge regional powers to apply their influence in a crisis. She said any road to reconciliation must be based on an end to violence, accountability, and complete access for the UN and partners.
She warned, “The conflict in Myanmar risks becoming a forgotten crisis,” while emphasizing that its regional implications are clear and its global impact is no longer deniable.
