A UNITED NATIONS resolution on Myanmar, circulated today, is urging renewed efforts to secure peace and condemns attacks on civilians.

The draft resolution, put forward by the British, also calls for an end to the illicit arms trade that has dogged the conflict.

The resolution expresses “alarm at the increased violence across Myanmar,” which is engulfed in civil war between the military-led regime and resistance forces.

It calls for “safe, rapid, and unhindered humanitarian access at scale,” expressing “grave concern” at the deteriorating humanitarian situation and restrictions on humanitarian access in the country that led to rising food insecurity and hunger.

The proposed resolution warns that the current situation has the potential to further exacerbate discrimination, ethnically motivated violence, violations of international humanitarian law, human rights abuses, and conflict-related sexual violence.

Myanmar’s military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, 2021. It was the day parliament was to reconvene following November 2020 elections, which her National League for Democracy won overwhelmingly — an outcome the military claims without evidence was based on fraud. 

Ms Suu Kyi and party members remain under arrest.

The takeover was met with massive public opposition, which has since turned into armed resistance and civil war.

The military regime now faces its greatest challenge from ethnic minority militias and people’s defence forces who support the main opposition and have captured swathes of territory in recent months.

The draft resolution stresses the central role of the Association of South-East Asian Nations, the 10-country bloc whose 2021 peace plan has so far been rejected by Myanmar’s generals. 

It calls for an immediate end to the violence and dialogue amongst contending parties brokered through an Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) envoy.

The draft resolution urges renewed efforts by ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar Alounkeo Kittikhoun and new UN special envoy Julie Bishop “to engage all relevant stakeholders to seek a peaceful, inclusive solution to the crisis in Myanmar.”

Security council negotiations on the draft resolution are expected to be tough.

The 15-member council approved its first-ever resolution on Myanmar in December 2022 by a vote of 12-0 with three abstentions — Russia, China and India, which object to outside interference in Myanmar.

The proposed draft demands full implementation of the December 2022 resolution, which demanded an immediate end to violence in the south-east Asian nation and urged its military rulers to release all “arbitrarily detained” prisoners, including Ms Suu Kyi, and to restore democratic institutions.