The UN condemns Internet shutdowns in Burma which undermine "
fundamental democratic principles
" and harm "
key sectors, including banks,
" said the Organization's deputy spokesperson, Farhan on Monday (February 15th). Haq.
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In a telephone interview with Soe Win, deputy commander of the Burmese army, the UN envoy for Burma, the Swiss Christine Schraner Burgener, warned that the cuts "would
exacerbate national tensions
", added the UN spokesperson.
Burma has been between Monday and Tuesday of "
Internet outages
" in the country for the second consecutive night, according to Internet monitoring NGO netblocks.
"
The arrests of political leaders, civil servants, civil society actors and media representatives are deeply worrying, as are the restrictions on the internet and communication services
," insisted Farhan Haq during the daily press briefing of the UN.
"
They must not be disturbed to guarantee the right to freedom of expression, which includes access to information,
" he demanded.
The UN envoy intends to continue to meet with the Burmese military hierarchy "
for a frank and open dialogue as long as it considers that this makes it possible to reverse the current situation and ensure that the will of the people of Burma is respected
", the spokesperson also said.
Christine Schraner Burgener "
continues to insist to the army on the fact that it must refrain from all violence and fully respect human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law
", he added. .
According to him, the emissary "
let know to the army of Burma that the world was monitoring closely
" the situation in the country "
and that any form of brutal reaction could have serious consequences
".
The spokesperson did not detail what these consequences could be.