Third Committee, 78th United Nations General Assembly

Statement by Ragnheiður Kolsöe, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Iceland      

New York, 23 October 2023

Combined briefing on Myanmar with Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism on Myanmar, and Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar

Mr. Chair,

The evidence of the scale of human rights violations in Myanmar continues to mount. We condemn the junta’s increasingly brutal tactics, including reports of widespread perpetration of sexual and gender-based violence, torture, extrajudicial killings, enlisting of children and burning and destruction of civilian objects, some of which may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

We strongly support the mandates of the Special Rapporteur and the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar. Their work is crucial for ensuring advocacy and justice and accountability for the people of Myanmar, including the Rohingya and other minorities.

We urge the junta to immediately cease violence and facilitate full and unhindered humanitarian access. We call for a peaceful resolution and return to a democratic path and the implementation of ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus.

I thank you.