12/10/2018 Myanmar (International Christian Concern) – On Human Rights Day this year, Myanmar President Win Myint stated that his country’s human rights situation has improved. His statement was quickly dismissed by critics, condemning the violence against Rohingya Muslims, the harsh treatment of ethnic minorities, deteriorated press freedom, and crackdowns on civil society.

Speaking at an event in Yangon commemorating the 70th anniversary of the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, he also called on the government and civil society to work with the country’s human rights commission to further improve human rights conditions.

In a statement issued in the state-run newspaper, he said “Human rights which are the most fundamental rights of humankind need to be enjoyed without discrimination with respect to race, color of skin, gender, language, religion or political belief by all equally.”

“Ignoring and disregarding human rights is tantamount to the destruction of humankind’s ability to reason and differentiate causes and effects and between good or evil,” he added.

However, U.N. personnel, diplomats, observers, and members of civil society organizations are not convinced by Win Myint’s words.

Knut Ostby, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator told Radio Free Asia that it was disappointing to see the recent convictions of human rights defenders such as three prominent young activists who organized peaceful antiwar protests in northern Myanmar’s Kachin state earlier this year, and two Reuters journalists who reported on the extrajudicial killings of 10 Rohingya in Rakhine state during a brutal military crackdown in 2017.

For interviews with Gina Goh, ICC’s Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: [email protected].