YouSaid · the spoken record

Kyaw Tin

lines on the record: 24
first: 2013-04-17
most recent: 2014-09-08
sittings or episodes: 3
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“We are also hopeful that our serious effort to address the issue will receive encouragement, fair assessment and an equally positive response from the United Nations. Through our collective efforts, we can achieve our shared goal of making our Government armed forces free of underage recruits before 2016. Such an achievement will also serve as a good example for the remaining non-State actors to follow.”
2014-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7259 (2014) · source
“Myanmar believes that enhanced cooperation through a clear work plan between the country task force on monitoring and reporting of grave violations of child rights in armed conflict and the Government armed forces will eventually pave the way for its delisting by the Office of the Special Representative. We are therefore prepared to collaborate with the country task force on monitoring and reporting of grave violations of child rights in armed conflict and the Office of the Special Representative to review the progress on the implementation of the action plan and to identify remaining key areas requiring further progress for full compliance and delisting. Our aim is to reach that goal even before the targeted date set by the Children, Not Soldiers campaign.”
2014-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7259 (2014) · source
“The controversial directive exempting matriculated students over the age of 16 from recruitment to non-combat training has also been abolished, as recommended by the Security Council Working Group. One of the major developments contributing to our efforts to protect children in conflict has been the unprecedented progress of the Government's peace negotiation process to end the six decades-long ethnic conflict. A nationwide ceasefire agreement is now within arm's reach. The return of peace and stability to every corner of the country augurs well for the Government's efforts to achieve rural development, as well as for the efforts to protect children in areas of conflict.”
2014-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7259 (2014) · source
“Even before the signing of the action plan, 597 underage soldiers had been released since 2004 through our own voluntary verification procedures. Myanmar has taken many other tangible steps this year to prevent underage recruitment. Access for monitoring visits is now granted for visits not only to Government armed forces, but also border guard forces. To prevent underage recruitment, infantry units are no longer allowed to recruit directly. Only recruitment centres are tasked with recruitment duties. Procedures for proper recruitment have also been strengthened and improved by introducing new layers of scrutiny. More than 3,000 seminars and lectures on the prevention and protection of children in conflict have already been conducted for military personnel throughout the country.”
2014-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7259 (2014) · source
“The Myanmar Government army is fully committed to preventing underage recruitment and has indicated its firm determination to finalize the full implementation of the action plan during the six-month extension period in order to be delisted from the report of the Secretary- General. To that end, Myanmar's committee to prevent underage recruitment in the military is meeting more frequently every month with the country task force on monitoring and reporting of grave violations of child rights in armed conflict. The list of suspected recruits received from the complaint mechanism is being jointly verified fortnightly. That led to the release, on 1 August, of another group of 91 underage soldiers from the military services, bringing the total number of discharged underage recruits to 363 since the launch of the action plan.”
2014-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7259 (2014) · source
“Among the concrete actions taken are the establishment of a complaint mechanism, a public awareness-raising campaign against child recruitment, including erecting billboards across the nation. Human rights education training for trainers has been organized for senior-level military officials. The number of complaints, which include both factual complaints and some fabricated ones, has of course risen owing to the rising public awareness and greater media freedom. Those who commit underage recruitment are punished according to the law. Since the launching of the action plan, legal action has been taken against a total of 229 military personnel, including 40 officers, for wrongful recruitment of underage individuals into the military.”
2014-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7259 (2014) · source
“Yet, in the past, there have been unfortunate incidents of minors finding their way into military service for various reasons, including a lack of proper documents to verify age and weaknesses in recruitment procedures, minors' own relationship problems and the lack of employment opportunities in rural areas. But Myanmar today is different. Those issues are being addressed more seriously and are being rectified. Soon after embarking on the democratic transition in 2011, Myanmar took bold steps to address the issue with strong commitment by signing a plan of action. Myanmar is one of the few countries that is making important progress in implementing its plan of action, as highlighted by the Special Representative in her statement this morning. I thank her for that.”
2014-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7259 (2014) · source
“We also thank the Secretary-General and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the annual report (S/2014/339) describing global trends in the impact of armed conflict on children. With regard to the assessment of Myanmar, we feel that it needs greater balance, as it mainly focuses on reported isolated incidents of individual violations and complaints received from various sources. It should have provided adequate space for the response taken by the country concerned to those complaints. As the report's coverage is for 2013, some of the its contents have been overtaken by the recent positive developments in the country. In Myanmar, we have a long-standing, sound legal basis and directives that prohibit forced conscription, as well as the recruitment of minors under 18.”
2014-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7259 (2014) · source
“First of all, my delegation wishes to express its appreciation to the United States presidency of the Security Council for organizing this important open debate. Our thanks also go to Ms. Leila Zerrougui, Special Representative ofthe Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, for her briefing and her dedication to protecting children in armed conflict. We also extend our appreciation to all other briefers for their presentations. My delegation shares the international community's concern over the suffering of a growing number of children affected by armed conflicts unfolding in many parts of the world. Myanmar therefore welcomes the noble undertakings of the United Nations to end grave violations against innocent children through a cooperative approach, especially the Children, Not Soldiers campaign.”
2014-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7259 (2014) · source
“In our View, if a party, although listed for more than five years, is making good progress in implementing its action plan with strong political commitment, it should not be classified as a persistent perpetrator. We believe that the current practice of a cooperative approach rather than a punitive one would better serve the purpose and will win the trust and cooperation of the parties concerned. Inclusion and delisting from the annexes of the reports of the Secretary-General should not be based on a subjective political decision, but on certain criteria or standards. In conclusion, Myanmar reiterates its pledge to continue to work together with the United Nations on the action plan to achieve the goal set by the United Nations global campaign "Children, not soldiers".”
2014-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7129 (2014) · source
“A nationwide ceasefire agreement is just around the corner, auguring well for the protection of children. The prevalence of peace and stability is creating an environment conducive to our efforts at rural development, poverty reduction and job creation, which will help to deter the inclusion of children in armed groups. National efforts to end child recruitment should also be accompanied by well- funded reintegration and development programmes to provide a livelihood and vocational training for former child soldiers to restart their lives with dignity in their new environment. My delegation is pleased to see that the Council is taking a cooperative and constructive approach to reach its goal of protecting children. However, we are concerned about the current definition of "persistent perpetrators", which is inaccurate and misleading.”
2014-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7129 (2014) · source
“Following the visit, the Myanmar authorities agreed once again to extend the current plan of action. Difficulties in age-verification remain a challenge for the identification of underage soldiers due to an absence of national registration cards. We hope that challenge will be resolved with the launching of a nationwide census later this month. We are hopeful that the tangible progress made in the implementation of the action plan in Myanmar will lead to the delisting of the Myanmar national armed forces in the near future. As we have stated time and time again, the best way to protect children from armed conflict is to end such conflicts. The Government's peace efforts have resulted in striking ceasefire agreements with almost all ethnic armed groups.”
2014-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7129 (2014) · source
“Some of that progress has been reflected in the most recent report of the International Labour Organization on Myanmar, which states that "[t]here has been a good response to the ongoing activities of underage recruitment, including on awareness-raising among military personnel and the release of underage recruits." The action plan was also incorporated in the training curriculum for my country's military officials. We are pleased to have facilitated the successful visit to Myanmar of the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, led by Ambassador Sylvie Lucas of Luxembourg last year, to assess the situation on the ground. We are looking at the recommendations provided by the Working Group, including becoming a party to the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict.”
2014-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7129 (2014) · source
“Today we are pleased to say that Myanmar has made significant progress in implementing its action plan over the past 18 months. As I already explained in detail yesterday at the launch of the campaign, I shall refrain from repeating the measures taken by the Government in responding to the issue. But I wish to stress again that in Myanmar every complaint of violation received was properly checked and all underage children found were discharged and reintegrated. Since the launching of the action plan, 272 children have been discharged and reintegrated. Offenders of child recruitment, be they civilian or military personnel, have been punished according to the law.”
2014-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7129 (2014) · source
“Since Myanmar embarked upon a peaceful democratic transition, the Government has made every possible effort to improve human rights in every aspect. One of the bold steps taken by the Government since then was the signing of an action plan with the United Nations in 2012 to end underage recruitment. In Myanmar we have a strong legal base that prohibits forced conscription and recruitment under 18. Yet, in the past, there have been incidents of children finding their way into the armed forces for various reasons, such as relationship problems in their communities, a lack of proper documents to identify their age, a lack of employment opportunities and a weakness in recruitment offices and their procedures. The Government recognized this ugly problem and has taken serious steps to tackle the issue since 2004.”
2014-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7129 (2014) · source
“As a country fully committed to doing away with the involvement of children in armed conflicts, Myanmar has voiced its full support for the campaign "Children, not soldiers", launched yesterday by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and UNICEF to end and prevent the recruitment and use of children by Government armed forces in conflict by 2016. We believe that goal could be achieved if the current momentum of our cooperation with the United Nations is reinforced and supported by the global community. We hope that this time-bound initiative will be able to garner broader international support for providing technical and financial assistance to speed up the implementation of our action plans.”
2014-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7129 (2014) · source
“My delegation wishes to thank the Luxembourg presidency for organizing this open debate on children and armed conflict. We also thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Special Representative of the Secretary-General Leila Zerrougui, UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake and Mr. Alhaji Babah Sawaneh for their statements this morning. Over the past 15 years, there has been considerable progress in advancing the agenda of protecting children in armed conflicts, which has resulted in the development of a sound framework for a monitoring and reporting mechanism.”
2014-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7129 (2014) · source
“My delegation would like to conclude by reaffirming its commitment to enhance its efforts for the prevention and elimination of violence against women in conflict areas through strong legal action and national reconciliation.”
2013-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6948 (2013) · source
“The newfound media freedom is helping our efforts in addressing violence against women through independent monitoring and reporting. In addition, a complaint mechanism to report such abuses is also being put in place by our national human rights commission. As a member of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Myanmar is also implementing a lO-year national strategic plan for the advancement ofwomen and is in the process of drafting a law on violence against women. I would like to voice our support for the Secretary- General's assertion that Members States bear the primary legal and moral responsibility for preventing and addressing conflict-related violence.”
2013-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6948 (2013) · source
“Members of the armed forces have to observe not only the penal code but also the military's code of conduct. We fully support a zero- tolerance policy with regard to violence against women and girls. The best way to ensure the protection of women and children in armed conflicts is to put a speedy end to such conflicts. The new Government has made unprecedented strides in its efforts at national reconciliation, resulting in establishing ceasefire agreements with all but one ethnic group. Peace talks with the remaining group are also gaining momentum. We are confident that lasting peace will soon prevail in every corner of our country. Such developments will do away with the alleged violence against women in the dwindling areas of conflict. As Myanmar moves towards to an open society, the press and media are enjoying greater freedom.”
2013-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6948 (2013) · source
“Objectivity and accuracy are of the utmost importance in the reporting exercise, especially when dealing with sensitive issues. A few isolated incidents committed by certain individuals cannot always be construed as the policy of a certain Government or institution. The most important issue in this connection is to have proper legal action taken against any perpetrator. Women in Myanmar are protected by culture, religion and laws. Myanmar's tradition and culture, which abhor the sexual exploitation of women, strongly contribute to our national efforts to promote gender equality and to reduce sexual violence against women and girls. Gender-based violence is being addressed through legal action against all perpetrators, regardless of whoever commits the crime.”
2013-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6948 (2013) · source
“However, my delegation regrets that the report still refers to our country, along with parties to armed conflict credibly suspected of committing or being responsible for such acts of violence, although Myanmar is making substantial progress in national reconciliation and bringing an end to conflicts with virtually all ethnic armed groups. The report does, however, acknowledge the fact that the allegations that have been received have not been independently verified due to limited access. Armed conflicts could naturally breed violence, especially against vulnerable groups. At the same time, such situations could also be exploited to make up or inflate stories of violence by either side of a conflict for its own agenda.”
2013-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6948 (2013) · source
“Since the adoption of the landmark resolution 1325 (2000), 13 years ago, there has been a growing recognition that gender equality plays an integral part in advancing development and peace and security, and that women can make valuable contributions to conflict resolution and in rebuilding their communities. This year's report of the Secretary-General (S/2013/l49) not only highlights several concerns on violence against women, but also refers to the practice of forced marriage by certain armed forces and to the links between sexual violence and the illicit extraction of natural resources. We thank the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for its consultations with our Mission in the process of preparing the annual report.”
2013-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6948 (2013) · source
“At the outset, my delegation wishes to express our appreciation to the Rwandan presidency for organizing this open debate on the important issue of women and peace and security. My delegation associates itself with the statement made by the representative of Viet Nam on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. We also thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Zainab Hawa Bangura, and the representative of the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security, Ms. Keita Diakite, for their informative briefings this morning. My delegation takes the floor to add its voice in condemning all form of violence against women and girls in armed conflicts.”
2013-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6948 (2013) · source