Topic: 2025 – Situation in Myanmar
Country: Argentina
Delegate Name: Savannah Frey
One of the most serious issues concerning the situation in Myanmar is the endangerment of Myanmar’s ethnic minorities because of the conflict that emerged from this civil war. Myanmar’s violent conflict has greatly affected its indigenous people, particularly the Rohingya people; many Rohingya have died or been displaced because they were caught in the crossfire. Fighting has been prominent in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. The war has greatly affected many people, sparking religious persecution and violence. Many Rohingya have been displaced from their homes, either being forced to flee to neighboring countries like Bangladesh, live in refugee camps, or live on the streets because their homes were destroyed. Additionally, many Rohingya have been abducted and forcefully recruited from refugee camps in Bangladesh by armed Rohingya in order to smuggle them back into Myanmar so they can fight for the country’s ruling military junta, the State Administrative Council, against the rebel army, the Arakan Army.
Argentina feels that the Rohingya people should be protected, and the crimes that have been committed against them are direct violations of their human rights. In February of 2025, an Argentine court ruled that both the State Administrative Council, or the SAC, and the Arakan Army are responsible for the brutality committed against the Rohingya. The court issued international arrests for twenty-five total individuals, including twenty-two Burmese military officials and three civilians, for their involvement in the genocide against the Rohingya. The ruling is a portion of Argentina’s larger effort to investigate crimes against humanity committed in Myanmar that violate Argentina’s principle of universal jurisdiction. The principle of universal jurisdiction states that Argentinian investigation allows national courts to prosecute significant international crimes irrespective of the location of the crime. Currently this is the only instance of Argentina’s involvement in Myanmar’s violence, however its significance cements Argentina’s position on this topic.
Argentina greatly supports involvement in helping the Rohingya people of Myanmar reach safety away from the conflict and ending the violence against the people of Myanmar overall. Argentina is going to continue acting under the principle of universal jurisdiction, so as to plausibly reduce the amount of human rights violations committed during the civil war. Argentina is willing to interfere with the sovereignty of the nation of Myanmar if it means protecting as many lives as possible, however Argentina does not want to induce conflict with Myanmar that could lead to conflict between the two countries. Argentina believes that the UN has established sufficient safeguards in order to intervene if drastic violations of human rights of this nature continue to occur, such as providing humanitarian aid and condemning the violence happening in the country. Argentina hopes to work with other like-minded countries that want to help the subjugated people of Myanmar like Bangladesh, the United States, India, and the United Kingdom.
Sources:
https://geographical.co.uk/news/with-usaid-funding-weakened-what-countries-are-supporting-myanmar
https://www.dw.com/en/myanmars-rohingya-caught-in-crossfire-of-civil-war/a-69992809#:~:text=As%20Myanmar%27s%20civil%20war%20intensifies,situation%20leaves%20them%20increasingly%20vulnerable.&text=With%20the%20civil%20war%20in,Rohingya%20refugee%20camps%20in%20Bangladesh
https://www.jurist.org/news/2025/02/argentina-court-issues-arrest-warrants-for-myanmar-military-officials-over-rohingya-genocide/
https://glica.org/glimun/committees/situation-in-myanmar/
