Myanmar's UN envoy calls for immediate no-fly zone

WASHINGTON

Myanmar's UN envoy called for a no-fly zone to be immediately instituted by the Security Council on Friday as the death toll mounts amid the junta's ongoing violent repression of pro-democracy activists.

Addressing the Security Council, Kyaw Moe Tun said he "strongly" believes the international community will not allow the ongoing mass bloodletting to continue unabated, calling for a no fly zone, an arms embargo and sweeping sanctions to be imposed without delay.

"Your urgent and strongest action is needed now," said the diplomat. "Bank accounts associated with the military, and its members should be frozen, and the financial inflows into the military regime and its associates should be cut off immediately."

He further called for foreign direct investment to be suspended until "the democratically-elected government is restored in Myanmar."

More than 600 civilians have been killed by the military amid mass demonstrations against its Feb. 1 seizure of power from the elected government of jailed leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The abrupt coup came as parliament was on the verge of being seated after Suu Kyi's NLD party made sweeping gains in November’s national elections in a blow to the military's political allies.

Nearly 3,000 people have been swept up in the military's dragnet while an additional 520 have been issued arrest warrants, according to a Myanmar-based rights monitor.

Kyaw Moe Tun made waves in February when he addressed the UN General Assembly in a desperate plea denouncing the military, prompting his bosses to fire him and charge him with high treason.

He has remained in his post, however, amid a diplomatic conundrum for the UN. The man handpicked to take the ambassador's role instead resigned his post in an additional blow to the junta.

The envoy said the military will kill and torture more innocent civilians "if you wait a day more" and called for "the strongest possible action without the delay."

"Please, please, please take action," he concluded.