M Mushfiqul Fazal, UN Correspondent
In a proposal regarding the Rohingya issue and other human rights situation in Myanmar placed before the 75th General Assembly of the United Nations, China and Russia yet again took stance in favour of Myanmar while India abstained from voting.
On Thursday, December 31, the last working day of 2020, the voting on the proposal was held during the 48th meeting of the 75th UNGA Session, according to a UN release.
The 25-point proposal regarding allegations of alarming extent of human rights violations by the Myanmar military and security forces in Kachin, Rakhine, Chin and Shan states of the country was discussed in the Thursday meeting.
A total of 130 countries voted against Myanmar, including nine which previously voted in favour of Myanmar, while 26 countries, including India, Bhutan, Japan, Sri Lanka, Singapore, abstained from voting.
China, Russia, Belarus, Cambodia, Laos, Philippines, Vietnam and Zimbabwe voted in Myanmar's favour.
Defending Myanmar's position, the country's representative at the meeting said human rights is being made a political issue against Myanmar, adding that the issues being discussed are Myanmar's internal matter.
Myanmar's newly elected government is against human rights violence and steps are being taken in the country to this end, the representative also said.
Rejecting the UN proposal, the Myanmar representative said the country's government is interested to discuss the issues with the Rohingya and other minority communities in Myanmar.
