(Translated Facebook post from the KHIT THIT MEDIA on 25 April 2023.)
On April-23 Ban Ki-Moon and his five-member
entourage flew into Nya-pyi-daw for a meeting with Myanmar Dictator. And the
former UNSG reportedly asked the dictator to stop waging war against his own
people.
Ban Ki-Moon is former Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Deputy Chair of The Elders. The Elders is an international non-governmental organisation of public figures noted as senior statesmen, peace activists and human rights advocates, who were brought together by Nelson Mandela in 2007. They describe themselves as "independent global leaders working together for peace, justice, human rights and a sustainable planet".
Ban Ki-Moon was basically following the foot steps of Director-General Peng Xiubin of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC), who met former military dictator Senior General Than Shwe and former president Thein Sein during his four-day visit to Myanmar from April 16-19.
Following is Ban Ki-Moon’s Media Release after the Burma
Visit:
Ban Ki-moon,
Deputy Chair of The Elders and former Secretary-General of the United Nations,
visited Myanmar on 23-24 April 2023, to find a path to an end to violence and
establishing a peaceful, democratic, inclusive and legitimate government.
He met Myanmar’s
military leaders and former President Thein Sein to discuss the situation, and
emphasised the importance of all parties playing a role in securing a lasting
solution, including the National Unity Government.
"I came to
Myanmar to urge the military to adopt an immediate cessation of violence, and
start constructive dialogue among all parties concerned,” Ban Ki-moon said. “My
meetings were exploratory. I will do all I can to help the people of Myanmar
secure the peace, prosperity and freedom they deserve.”
The visit was at
the invitation of the Myanmar military. In his meetings in Naypyidaw, Ban
Ki-moon stressed the urgency of making progress on implementation of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Five-Point Consensus and last
December’s United Nations Security Council Resolution 2669. He supported the
international community’s calls for the immediate release by the Myanmar
military of all arbitrarily detained prisoners, for constructive dialogue, and
for utmost restraint from all parties.
Ban Ki-moon
reiterated the strong international condemnation of the recent military air
strike in Sagaing region, which is estimated to have killed more than 160
civilians, including women and children.
He warned that
elections must only be held when conditions are in place for them to be free
and fair. Holding elections under current conditions risks further violence and
division, and the results not being recognised by the people of Myanmar, ASEAN
and the wider international community.
Support for a
full transition to democracy and civilian rule has been a feature of The
Elders’ engagement with Myanmar over the past decade, and Ban Ki-moon has a
personal history of supporting Myanmar’s progress when UN Secretary-General.
“ASEAN Member
States and the wider international community need to show unity and resolve in
their commitment to peace and democracy in Myanmar, which is a source of
serious international concern. With patient determination, I believe a way
forward can be found out of the current crisis. The military must take the
first steps”, Ban Ki-moon said.
