Myanmar junta removes its UN Ambassador after he delivers anti-coup speech
Feb 28, 2021
New York [US], February 28 : Myanmar's military has fired the country's United Nations Ambassador after he appealed to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) for international help to overturn the coup.
CNN quoted state television MRTV as announcing on Saturday evening that Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun had "abused the power and responsibilities of a permanent ambassador" and that he "betrays the country."
At the UNGA, the envoy said, "We need further strongest possible action from the international community to immediately end the military coup, to stop oppressing the innocent people, to return the state power to the people and to restore the democracy".
He further said that he was representing Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
In a show of defiance, the ambassador also flashed the three-fingered "Hunger Games" salute used by protestors on the streets of Myanmar and adopted from recent protests in neighboring Thailand, CNN reported.
Following his speech, he received a round of applause from the UN members for his "courageous" remarks.
"The United States continues to strongly condemn the military coup in Myanmar...And we condemn the security forces' brutal killing of unarmed people," said Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US ambassador to the UN.
Commending Kyaw Moe Tun for speaking on the coup in the international platform, Akila Radhakrishnan, president of the Global Justice Center, said, "The world should applaud the bravery of Representative Kyaw Moe Tun for delivering such a powerful statement on behalf of the people of Myanmar, not the illegitimate military junta".
"The international community should support the will of the people of Myanmar and refuse to legitimize, normalize, or cooperate with the military government," Radhakrishnan added.
The Myanmar Army early this month seized power after alleging fraud in November 8 election. Several political leaders including Aung San Suu Kyi were detained.
Pro-democracy protesters in Myanmar have taken to the streets, demanding the release of their leader Aung San Suu Kyi. At least three protesters and one policeman have been killed at the protests.
