New Zealand House of Representatives debating chamber / Photo by Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives of New Zealand – https://www.parliament.nz/en/get-involved/features/who-are-the-people-in-parliament/, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=147471655
Mizzima
The New Zealand House of Representatives passed a motion on 9 May strongly condemning the Myanmar junta’s ongoing atrocities and human rights violations and calling for a restoration of democracy.
In response, also on 9 May, the National Unity Government (NUG) issued a statement congratulating the House for passing the motion.
Below is the motion passed by the New Zealand House of Representatives that was brought to the House by Winston Peters, the Deputy Prime Minister:
This House strongly condemns the Myanmar military regime’s ongoing atrocities and human rights violations and abuses and calls for the restoration of democracy;
Calls for an immediate end to the ongoing violence, and the release of all arbitrarily detained prisoners;
Calls for respect for human rights and international humanitarian law, and safe and unhindered humanitarian access to all displaced persons and those in need throughout Myanmar;
Supports the UN’s further engagement in the crisis, including through the newly appointed UN Special Envoy on Myanmar, and urges implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 2669 (2022);
Continues to support the fundamental role of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in resolving the crisis by implementation of its Five-Point Consensus, including through the efforts of the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair;
Urges New Zealand and other governments to provide all possible support to the people of Myanmar;
Continue to stand in solidarity with the people of Myanmar and their desire for sustainable, inclusive and genuine representative democracy in their country.
Below is the statement that the NUG issued in response to the motion:
The National Unity Government (NUG) released a statement congratulating the New Zealand House of Representatives for its 9 May 2024 motion condemning the Myanmar junta.
The National Unity Government congratulates New Zealand’s House of Representative on its motion on Myanmar.
Agreed by the Coalition Government and the New Zealand Labour Party, the bipartisan motion shows the depth of New Zealand’s solidarity with the people of Myanmar and stands as an example to parliaments everywhere.
The motion makes an urgent and important call on New Zealand and other governments, the UN and ASEAN to provide all possible support to people of Myanmar. It also condemns the terrorist Myanmar Military Council’s ongoing atrocities, violations and abuses, and calls for the release of all arbitrarily detained prisoners and for unhindered humanitarian access to people in need.
The motion’s adoption coincides with a visit to New Zealand by U Aung Myo Min, Union Minister of Human Rights, for a series of political and community discussions. Throughout these engagements, the Minister has underlined the firm commitment of the National Unity Government and its ethnic and civil society partners to building a truly inclusive and federal democratic union in Myanmar.
With the sustained support of New Zealand and other friends, the people of Myanmar will deliver on this promise of a nation renewed by peace, freedom, justice and equality
