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A6 WORLD NEWS
Friday 5 april 2024

U.N. human rights body backs measures against Myanmar and

investigations in Iran

By JAMEY KEATEN airstrikes, “many of which
Associated Press have constituted war
GENEVA (AP) — The U.N.’s crimes.”
leading human rights body The council is wrapping up
agreed Thursday to mea- its first session of the year,
sures aimed at putting pres- which began on Feb. 26,
sure on Myanmar and Iran, with action on over 40 reso-
whose governments have lutions on issues as diverse
been accused of using as the rights of the child;
violence against their own the environment and hu-
people. man rights; genocide pre-
The Human Rights Coun- vention; and rights situa-
cil, made up of 47 mem- tions in council like Sudan,
ber countries, backed by Belarus and North Korea.
consensus a measure that One resolution expected
calls on governments to to come up in Friday’s ses-
avoid exporting or selling sion finale calls on countries
jet fuel to Myanmar if they to stop sending weapons
believe its ruling military to Israel amid its military
junta might use the fuel to campaign in Gaza that has
violate human rights in the led to the killings of nearly
war-wracked southeast Protesters run after police shot warning shots and used water cannon to disperse them during a 33,000 Palestinians in re-
Asian country. It also urged protest in Mandalay, Myanmar on Feb. 9, 2021. Associated Press sponse to the murderous
a halt to the illegal transfer attacks in Israel by armed
of weapons, munitions and ment of Aung San Suu Kyi, chain. It said at least seven airstrikes to commit war militants on Oct. 7.
other military equipment triggering widespread non- shipments of the fuel went crimes,” said Iniyan Ilango, In other action, the council
to Myanmar. An indepen- violent opposition that was to Myanmar last year, with Amnesty’s representative voted 24-8, with 15 absten-
dent expert commissioned met with deadly force. direct links to a storage unit to the U.N. in Geneva. tions, to adopt a resolution
by the council warned last The repression gave birth in Vietnam. Vietnam, which He said it was “a good to extend by a year inves-
month that Myanmar’s to armed resistance and currently holds one of the start” but the U.N. Secu- tigations of human rights in
military government is es- embroiled the country in a seats in the council, did rity Council should impose Iran by two separate teams
calating violence against civil war. Advocacy group not stand in the way of the a suspension of the direct one led by a “special rap-
civilians as it faces more Amnesty International has council’s consensus. and indirect shipments of porteur” looking into the
setbacks on the battlefield repeatedly called out ship- “This is an important mes- aviation fuel to Myanmar, overall rights situation, and
against pro-democracy ments of fuel to Myanmar sage from the U.N.’s main saying such a move would another by a “fact-find-
and ethnic armed groups. and in January pointed to human rights body that have an important impact ing mission” focusing on
The military seized power shipping data that pointed business as usual is not ac- on the ground because rights violations related to
more than three years ago to efforts to avoid sanctions ceptable when supplying it would help prevent the protests since September
from the elected govern- in the aviation fuel supply jet fuel to those who use military from continuing its 2022.q

Guyana condemns Venezuela for signing into law a referendum

approving annexation of disputed region

By BERT WILKINSON dent Nicolás Maduro’s thirds of Guyana triggered day, Maduro held a signing forum is the International
Associated Press move to sign into law the fierce condemnation Thurs- ceremony recalling the ref- Court of Justice.”
GEORGETOWN, Guyana results of a recent referen- day from the neighboring erendum as a “stellar and It’s not clear how Venezu-
(AP) — Venezuelan Presi- dum laying claim to two- South American country’s historic moment.” elan authorities intend to
government. “The decision of Decem- implement the idea of ex-
The text of the law was not ber 3, has now become ercising jurisdiction over Es-
immediately made public. the Law of the Republic, sequibo.
Even so, Guyana’s Ministry to form part of the legal Maduro said that until the
of Foreign Affairs vowed structure of the internal dispute is resolved, the ap-
not to yield any land to political and institutional pointment of an Essequibo
Venezuela and called the movement of our coun- governor will remain in his
move targeting Guyana’s try,” Maduro tweeted on hands and that the Nation-
western Essequibo region Wednesday. “The decision al Assembly will exercise
an “egregious violation of made by the Venezuelans legislative powers of the
the most fundamental prin- in the consultative referen- territory. He did not provide
ciples of international law.” dum will be fulfilled in all its further details.
In early December, Mad- parts, and with this Law, we Guyana and Venezuela
uro held a referendum to will continue the defense of have been feuding over
claim sovereignty over the Venezuela on international the region for decades,
oil- and mineral-rich region stages.” with tensions deepening
that represents two-thirds Guyana’s government after vast oil deposits were
A boy drives a motorcycle in front of a mural of the Venezuelan
map with the Essequibo territory included in the 23 de Enero of Guyana, arguing it was responded sharply hours found near Guyana’s coast
neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Dec. 11, 2023. stolen when the border later: “If Venezuela wants in 2015 in offshore areas
Associated Press was drawn more than a to contest title to the terri- intersecting the disputed
century ago. On Wednes- tory in question, the proper territory.q