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<v Speaker 1>Thank you for listening to Pictures Media Radio.

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<v Speaker 2>Welcome to Policy and Rights show. Gosh, welcome to Policy

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<v Speaker 2>that human joys. All right, welcome back to Policy and

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<v Speaker 2>Rights here depicting its Media Radio. I'm your host, Michael Cloggs.

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<v Speaker 2>Let's discuss Me and Mar. We're going to have a

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<v Speaker 2>recording from the Human Rights Council, part of the United Nations,

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<v Speaker 2>as they discuss the humanitarian efforts and the humanitarian situation

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<v Speaker 2>in Me and Mar itself.

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<v Speaker 3>Well.

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<v Speaker 2>Me and R is an ancient country in some ways,

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<v Speaker 2>during some of its colonial time, was also known as Burma.

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<v Speaker 2>In of course, right now it is known as Me

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<v Speaker 2>or Mar, and it has struggled politically, It has struggled economically,

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<v Speaker 2>and it is as far as the people itselves are concerned,

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<v Speaker 2>it is struggling to support the needs that they want.

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<v Speaker 2>Simply put, they want the same thing as all the

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<v Speaker 2>rest of us want freedom, the right to think what

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<v Speaker 2>you want to think, and the right to choose what

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<v Speaker 2>we want to choose. There are some interesting caveats to that,

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<v Speaker 2>but we won't get into that right this very second.

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<v Speaker 2>We do want to talk about Me or Mart itself.

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<v Speaker 2>In the past few years that have led to what

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<v Speaker 2>we see today with the political unrest and unbalanced that

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<v Speaker 2>we actually see there today, that is leading the United

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<v Speaker 2>Nations Human Rights Council to actually be taking a strong

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<v Speaker 2>look at it and to actually have a special repertoire

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<v Speaker 2>to come and discuss what is happening in me or

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<v Speaker 2>Mar today. So let's go back to February one of

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<v Speaker 2>twenty twenty one, the day of parliament was set to

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<v Speaker 2>convene Mira. March's military detained Zoe Kil and other members

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<v Speaker 2>of the ruling party and they handed power to the

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<v Speaker 2>chief Meinhunyi Yi and declared the state of emergency for

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<v Speaker 2>one year and began closing the borders, restricting travel and

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<v Speaker 2>electronic communications nationwide. The military announced it would replace the

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<v Speaker 2>existing election commission with a new one, and the military

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<v Speaker 2>media outlet indicated new elections would be held in about

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<v Speaker 2>one year. Through the avoiding making any official commitment to that,

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<v Speaker 2>the military expelled the n LD party members of the

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<v Speaker 2>parliament from the capital, and by the fifteenth of March

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<v Speaker 2>twenty twenty one, the military leadership continued to extend the

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<v Speaker 2>martial law into more parts of hegan while security forces

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<v Speaker 2>killed thirty eight people in a single day of violence.

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<v Speaker 2>By the second day, thousands of protesters were marching in

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<v Speaker 2>the streets and the protests erupted nationwide, largely hailing commerce

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<v Speaker 2>and transportation. Despite the military taries, arrests, killings of protesters,

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<v Speaker 2>the first few weeks of the coup found a growing

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<v Speaker 2>public participation in including of the civil civil servants, teachers, students, workers, monks,

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<v Speaker 2>and religious leaders, even normally disinfect affected ethnic minorities. The

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<v Speaker 2>coup immediately was condemned by the United Nations. The US

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<v Speaker 2>threatened sanctions and military military and its leaders, including a

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<v Speaker 2>freeze of one billion dollars in assets from the US, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Russia, Vietnam, Thailand,

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<v Speaker 2>the Philippines, China. UH retained criticizing the military c coup.

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<v Speaker 2>And let's put this way, basically, the whole world was

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<v Speaker 2>against this military cou coup that actually happened. The outsiders

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<v Speaker 2>looking in international development partners and non UH government and

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<v Speaker 2>government hinted the suspension of partnerships with mir Mar. Banks

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<v Speaker 2>were closed on social media UH communication platforms including Facebook, Twitter,

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<v Speaker 2>UH blah blah blah. The protesters appeared UH in miror

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<v Speaker 2>Mar embassies in UH foreign countries, A National Unity government

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<v Speaker 2>then declared the formation of a armed Wing UH by

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<v Speaker 2>UH the fifth of May one, a date often cited

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<v Speaker 2>to starting the full scale civil war, and ever since

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<v Speaker 2>then Meanmoir has been in some state of violence or

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<v Speaker 2>civil war. So now we need to know what is

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<v Speaker 2>happening with human rights and what and what other countries

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<v Speaker 2>are actually doing to help the people themselves get back

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<v Speaker 2>to normality, get back to what is it that they

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<v Speaker 2>would preferred doing rather than protesting and having military violence

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<v Speaker 2>running up and down their streets. And this is this

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<v Speaker 2>is where we are today and why we're We have

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<v Speaker 2>a special repertoire from the United Nations speaking about what

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<v Speaker 2>is happening in me, Mr okay, so along with we're

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<v Speaker 2>going to flip this over to to Canada now, and

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<v Speaker 2>we have Mark Karney, Prime Minister of Canada as he

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<v Speaker 2>is speaking with Anita and non In in the background

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<v Speaker 2>about what's happening with NATO. And of course by twenty

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<v Speaker 2>thirty five, Canada is now promising to reach the five

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<v Speaker 2>percent threshold of GDP spending on national defense. Part of

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<v Speaker 2>this is of this push to increase the NATO country

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<v Speaker 2>stockpile is according to the ongoing threat from the Russian

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<v Speaker 2>Federation and of course trying to protect all of the

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<v Speaker 2>Arctic countries that would be a threat if the Russian

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<v Speaker 2>Federation were to attempt something. We already know that they

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<v Speaker 2>moved south and they went after, of course Ukraine, and

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<v Speaker 2>they're saying that that they're trying to free the Dundas

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<v Speaker 2>region and they're trying to free Crimea. But is that

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<v Speaker 2>really all that they're trying to do, especially with leadership

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<v Speaker 2>under Vladimir Putin, who, for lack of words, is just

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<v Speaker 2>trying to boluster what it is he thinks Russia should

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<v Speaker 2>be allowed to have. Sanctions, of course, have been placed

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<v Speaker 2>against them where there's limited sale of of resources from

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<v Speaker 2>Russia and back into Europe. The European Union is on

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<v Speaker 2>board with that and working with with NATO of course

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<v Speaker 2>to limit some of those sales in order to starve

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<v Speaker 2>Russia of money so that they have a harder time

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<v Speaker 2>producing weapons and supplying their army. But still conflict continues.

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<v Speaker 2>Let's look at it at something else here just for

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<v Speaker 2>a couple of seconds, and then we're gonna we're we're

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<v Speaker 2>going to push forward to hear what Mark Karni had

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<v Speaker 2>to say at NATO, and then we'll hear from the

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<v Speaker 2>United Nations Human Rights Council. We have two different different

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<v Speaker 2>sides here at this point. We have one where we're

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<v Speaker 2>trying to stop war by supplying humanitarian efforts and in

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<v Speaker 2>order to quell the people so that they stop fighting

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<v Speaker 2>with each other in the end the civil war. We're

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<v Speaker 2>trying to do this through diplomacy and peaceful means. The

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<v Speaker 2>other end of it is we're going to build a

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<v Speaker 2>stronger military to end a war or to prevent a

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<v Speaker 2>war from happening. Would it not be easier or would

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<v Speaker 2>it not be a better path? And maybe not an

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<v Speaker 2>easier path. Maybe the easier path is actually stockpile of

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<v Speaker 2>the military is like I'm stronger than you are, so

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<v Speaker 2>you better not attack me kind of mentality. But a

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<v Speaker 2>better path might be to offer understanding and to unite

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<v Speaker 2>all of the countries around the world and some sort

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<v Speaker 2>of a peaceful resolute that would lower the borders so

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<v Speaker 2>that people could pick and choose where they wanted to live,

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<v Speaker 2>regardless of passports or anything like that. Just saying that

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<v Speaker 2>there's got to be a better way of getting along

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<v Speaker 2>in our world without having to flex muscle to do

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<v Speaker 2>it in a way that shows that hey, we're open

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<v Speaker 2>to selling our differences without throwing punches.

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<v Speaker 4>Hello MESSI that that ven i okay lot in context,

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<v Speaker 4>Bulson the lord montiene punt f faso shote collective a

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<v Speaker 4>filmy said verici dera cond newse some Also, this NATO

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<v Speaker 4>summit is similarly taking place at a transformational moment for Canada.

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<v Speaker 4>For the allies of NATO, the international rules based system

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<v Speaker 4>on which the Alliance has relied upon is under unprecedented pressure,

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<v Speaker 4>and the threats that are facing individual member states are evolving.

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<v Speaker 4>They differ both in their form and severity, and at

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<v Speaker 4>the same time, Canada's own relationship with NATO is appropriately evolving.

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<v Speaker 4>Put it in a bit of context. For over a century,

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<v Speaker 4>For over a century, Canada has been a net exporter

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<v Speaker 4>of security to Europe, and now with those evolving threats worldwide,

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<v Speaker 4>the threats to our own sovereignty are becoming more acute.

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<v Speaker 4>With increasingly open Arctic waters and rapid advancers in cyber

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<v Speaker 4>and AI and quantum, with advanced missile capacities, we can

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<v Speaker 4>no longer rely on our geography to protect us. As

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<v Speaker 4>the global landscape shifts, the collective security created by the

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<v Speaker 4>Alliance remains the strongest and the most effective way of

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<v Speaker 4>protecting Canadian sovereignty and protecting the security of Canadians. So,

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<v Speaker 4>together with our allies, we must ensure that NATO remains strong, unified,

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<v Speaker 4>and ready to confront the threats not just of today

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<v Speaker 4>but of tomorrow. And so in this pursuit, Canada is

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<v Speaker 4>helping to ensure that the Alliance and the peace that

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<v Speaker 4>it can help protect prevail. In order to do so,

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<v Speaker 4>we must invest in our strength, because Canada's leadership must

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<v Speaker 4>be defined not just by the strength of our values,

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<v Speaker 4>but by the value of our strength. That's why earlier

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<v Speaker 4>this month, Minister of Minister of Defense, the Chief of

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<v Speaker 4>the Defense Staff, and I unveiled Canada's plan to rebuild,

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<v Speaker 4>rearm and reinvest in the Canadian armed forces to protect

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<v Speaker 4>first and foremost Canadians, to protect our interests, and also

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<v Speaker 4>to help protect our allies. In doing so, we are

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<v Speaker 4>reaching NATO's two percent target this year. We've arrived at

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<v Speaker 4>this summit looking forward with the plan to help lead

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<v Speaker 4>with new investments to build our strength. This morning, Canada,

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<v Speaker 4>or just now, I guess it went into the afternoon,

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<v Speaker 4>Canada and our allies agreed to a new defense industrial

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<v Speaker 4>There's a new Defense Investment Pledge which secures Canada's strategic

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<v Speaker 4>and security goals. As part of that, Canada has already

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<v Speaker 4>beginning working towards a target of three and a half

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<v Speaker 4>percent of GDP by twenty thirty five by expanding our

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<v Speaker 4>plan to invest in the Canadian Armed Forces, to modernize

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<v Speaker 4>our military equipment and technology, to help build up our

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<v Speaker 4>own defense and security industries, as well as to diversify

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<v Speaker 4>our defense partnerships.

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<v Speaker 3>We're also working to ensure.

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<v Speaker 4>That we are spending one and a half percent of

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<v Speaker 4>our GDP in defense and security related infrastructure, so that

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<v Speaker 4>means airports, infrastructure, to support the development and exportation of

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<v Speaker 4>critical minerals, telecommunications and emergency preparedness systems. These investments serve

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<v Speaker 4>our defense as well as protecting the readiness and resilience

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<v Speaker 4>to protect Canadians. At the core of our defense investment,

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<v Speaker 4>of course, are the men and women of the Canadian

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<v Speaker 4>Armed Forces, and as I speak to you today, Canadian

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<v Speaker 4>troops are participating in NATO deterrence and defense missions across

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<v Speaker 4>Central and Eastern Europe, as well as building capacity in

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<v Speaker 4>the Middle East as part of Operation Reassurance Canada's leading

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<v Speaker 4>a fourteen nation strong multi national brigade with over two

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<v Speaker 4>thousand Canadian armed forces in Latvia. We're working with our

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<v Speaker 4>allies and partners across Europe to train Ukrainian soldiers who

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<v Speaker 4>are defending their homeland from Russia's illegal and barbaric invasion.

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<v Speaker 4>These are the women and men we are investing in

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<v Speaker 4>the forces we will expand with new incentives and new

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<v Speaker 4>recruitment efforts. The Canada home folsjag monse capacity Industrial al

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<v Speaker 4>garasan strategy, vigodos in des Patsnari Antonacio Lundi Lord the Summit,

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<v Speaker 4>Canada Union yours nouveaux pat area, the security, the advance

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<v Speaker 4>onto the Canada a Union in so Patnaria. In the

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<v Speaker 4>premier they do mena a la Participation Canada Initiative AGIOU

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<v Speaker 4>less security on the hub in the hop Sola Permetra

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<v Speaker 4>that and nose objective raid a am goop. Canada does

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<v Speaker 4>have enormous industrial capacity, but that will grow significantly as

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<v Speaker 4>our allies seek to increase their military readiness. They will

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<v Speaker 4>buy more equipment and technology made in Canada by Canadian

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<v Speaker 4>workers in shipyards, in labs and shop floors. Right across

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<v Speaker 4>our country will make the drones, the icebreakers, the aerospace

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<v Speaker 4>technology is and much more that's needed to build a

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<v Speaker 4>more secure world.

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<v Speaker 3>Vala Suit.

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<v Speaker 4>Said, I can ask Anna the Nouvelle men A security

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<v Speaker 4>A long term, the lucran use abone, Misson Plas, the

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<v Speaker 4>Nouvelle Sanction, Vision, RIM Regime, rus set, tom A Revenue,

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<v Speaker 4>Lie Energy and VIDI facilite E Tier Prophy des Atrocity coms.

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<v Speaker 4>Vala Klemlin New fhonally saw cran Do, miriad dollar On Finance,

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<v Speaker 4>more super Montre he Knew Louis of front see upred Dollberti,

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<v Speaker 4>SA Infra Structure Say Service to Leak Associety Seville, Canada

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<v Speaker 4>is helping to ensure and through our discussions, I'm very

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<v Speaker 4>pleased to discussions and how they evolved that the new

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<v Speaker 4>NATO targets of five percent of GDP. Those new NATO's

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<v Speaker 4>targets are tailored to address new threats and challenges, and

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<v Speaker 4>the capabilities required to meet this moment have been the

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<v Speaker 4>driving factors for those targets. Importantly, the trajectory and the

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<v Speaker 4>balance of the new NATO Defense Pledge will be reviewed

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<v Speaker 4>in twenty twenty nine. To ensure that the commitments align

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<v Speaker 4>with the global security landscape. Throughout Canada's history, there have

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<v Speaker 4>been turning points when the world's fortunes have been in

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<v Speaker 4>the balance, and each time Canada has chosen to step

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<v Speaker 4>up to lead on the path of democracy and freedom.

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<v Speaker 3>We're once again at one of those moments.

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<v Speaker 4>If we want the world of tomorrow to be shaped

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<v Speaker 4>by our values, Canada must be ready. If we want

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<v Speaker 4>a more secure world, we need a stronger Canada that

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<v Speaker 4>works with our allies, and today is a very important

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<v Speaker 4>step to build both.

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<v Speaker 3>Hutch and I look forward to your questions. Thank you,

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<v Speaker 3>Prime Minister.

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<v Speaker 4>We're not going to begin the question period.

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<v Speaker 1>We'll begin with Steve Chase.

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<v Speaker 3>First question period. Hi, Steve Chase for the Global Mail.

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<v Speaker 5>I want to ask you to what extent you have

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<v Speaker 5>social license, to what extent you think you have public

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<v Speaker 5>support for what defense experts are saying would be the

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<v Speaker 5>largest increase in defense spending since.

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<v Speaker 3>The Second World War.

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<v Speaker 5>We're talking seven percent increases a year to reach that

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<v Speaker 5>fifty billion number, it's going to crowd out other investments.

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<v Speaker 5>It's got to crowd out requests for healthcare transfer increases.

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<v Speaker 3>So to what extent do you think you have public

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<v Speaker 3>support for this.

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<v Speaker 4>Well, thanks for the question, Steve. Let me answer this

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<v Speaker 4>in two ways. So the first is to provide some

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<v Speaker 4>context to the overall five percent. Number one and a

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<v Speaker 4>half percent of that five percent is what's called a

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<v Speaker 4>defense Industrial pledge, And as I describe very briefly in

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<v Speaker 4>my remarks, it's much more detail in the public documents,

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<v Speaker 4>and we can go into more detail back the Minister

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<v Speaker 4>of National Defense can go into an exhaustive detail here,

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<v Speaker 4>but that the industrial element of that much of this

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<v Speaker 4>we are already doing. This is about building the resilience.

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<v Speaker 4>What do we do to build the resilience of the country.

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<v Speaker 4>How much are we spending on our ports, on our

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<v Speaker 4>transportation infrastructure, How much are we spending in order to

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<v Speaker 4>develop our critical minerals. What do we do to make

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<v Speaker 4>sure we have a resilient telecommunications system. These are things

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<v Speaker 4>that actually we as government, both federal and provincial governments.

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<v Speaker 4>These are responsibilities we have today to Canadians, and responsibilities

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<v Speaker 4>that by and large we are fulfilling. Now we're going

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<v Speaker 4>to do a more proper accounting of that, a more

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<v Speaker 4>strategic set of investments in that. So, yes, we'll find

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<v Speaker 4>gaps we'll be transparent about that and we'll make up

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<v Speaker 4>those gaps. So the overall context of the net increase

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<v Speaker 4>in defense spending is much less than the headline from

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<v Speaker 4>two to five. First point, very important point, but we

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<v Speaker 4>have to show that and we have to be delivered

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<v Speaker 4>and strategic about it, and we will. The second thing

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<v Speaker 4>is what happens in terms of the I'll call it

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<v Speaker 4>the two to the three and a half that number.

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<v Speaker 4>We absolutely need to establish the political and social to use,

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<v Speaker 4>the social license, the public support for that. It needs

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<v Speaker 4>to be as I indicated my remarks, including my remarks

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<v Speaker 4>in that room. First and foremost, we are protecting Canadians.

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<v Speaker 4>We are protecting Canadians against new threats. I wish we

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<v Speaker 4>didn't have to, but that is but we do have

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<v Speaker 4>to and it is our core responsibility as government. And

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<v Speaker 4>those threats we see them the evolving threat environment, most

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<v Speaker 4>clearly in the Arctic, but it's also through the Arctic

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<v Speaker 4>into Canada, and so we're taking our greater responsibilities around that.

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<v Speaker 4>We have to be clear about what we're doing in

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<v Speaker 4>order to achieve it. Last point, we're focused on the outcome,

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<v Speaker 4>the result protecting Canadians. We're driven by that not by

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<v Speaker 4>with all due respects, sitting in the NATO building, by

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<v Speaker 4>NATO accountants, and that's part of what's relevant for this

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<v Speaker 4>twenty twenty nine review.

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<v Speaker 3>We're going to focus on those new threats.

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<v Speaker 4>We're going to take more of it directly in our

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<v Speaker 4>responsibility because they are a responsibility of threats on our

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<v Speaker 4>soil in our marine areas, and we're possible. We're going

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<v Speaker 4>to work with our partners, but we're also going to

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<v Speaker 4>assess how well we've done, first and foremost to Canadians

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<v Speaker 4>whom we serve, but also to our partners. There'll be

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<v Speaker 4>a review and they'll be an adjustment.

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<v Speaker 3>At that point.

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<v Speaker 6>And thank you for joining us today at this press conference.

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<v Speaker 6>Our speaker today is mister Tom Andrews, the Special Reporter

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<v Speaker 6>on the human rights situation in Yenmar. He will be

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<v Speaker 6>brief you today on his latest report to the Human

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<v Speaker 6>Rights Council. We will begin with opening remarks from the

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<v Speaker 6>Special Reporter, followed by before moving too questions, mister Andrews,

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<v Speaker 6>you have the floor.

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<v Speaker 7>Thank you, tony okay? Is that good? Yeah?

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<v Speaker 8>Turning it on makes a lot of difference. Well, thank

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<v Speaker 8>you very much everyone for your interest in your attendance.

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<v Speaker 8>I am very pleased to return to Geneva, where I

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<v Speaker 8>will have the honor of engaging with the Human Rights Council,

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<v Speaker 8>along with the High Commissioner and representatives of Me and

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<v Speaker 8>Mar civil society organizations in an enhanced interactive dialogue on.

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<v Speaker 7>The crisis in Me and Mar later this week.

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<v Speaker 8>Today, I'd like to talk about some of the distressing

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<v Speaker 8>facts that are emerging out of Me and More, and

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<v Speaker 8>I'd also like to address what is even more distressing,

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<v Speaker 8>the trajectory of these facts and what lies beneath them.

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<v Speaker 8>And I'd like to circle that trajectory back to the

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<v Speaker 8>United Nations and its member states, the Human Rights Council,

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<v Speaker 8>and really to all of us. The facts in Me

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<v Speaker 8>and Mar are dismal. More than sixty eight hundred people

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<v Speaker 8>have been killed since the coup, more than twenty two

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<v Speaker 8>thousand political prisoners behind bars, most of whom are guilty

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<v Speaker 8>of only exercising their fundamental rights, including speaking out and

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<v Speaker 8>participating in demonstrations opposing a brutal military juntu. Before the coup,

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<v Speaker 8>there were three hundred thousand people internally displaced in Me

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<v Speaker 8>and More. Now there are more than three zero point

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<v Speaker 8>five million, nearly one point five million refugees from Me

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<v Speaker 8>and Mar are currently living in other countries. Nearly a

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<v Speaker 8>third of the population of Me and Mar are facing

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<v Speaker 8>acute food insecurity. Twenty one point nine million people are

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<v Speaker 8>in need of humanitarian aid. As if this misery were

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<v Speaker 8>not enough, a seven point seven magnitude earthquake struck Me

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<v Speaker 8>and Mar on the twenty eighth of March. I was

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<v Speaker 8>on the Thai Me and Maar border at the time

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<v Speaker 8>when it struck. We know that at least thirty eight

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<v Speaker 8>hundred people were killed and more than five thousand were injured,

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<v Speaker 8>but the true numbers are likely much much higher. More

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<v Speaker 8>than two hundred thousand were displaced by the earthquake three

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<v Speaker 8>months after it struck. There are many who can continue

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<v Speaker 8>to sleep on the streets. Hunger or lack of access

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<v Speaker 8>to water and sanitation facilities haunt many communities. They are

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<v Speaker 8>forced to grapple with extreme heat, drenching rains, and infectious diseases. Meanwhile,

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<v Speaker 8>the Hunter has taken the same approach with earthquake relief

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<v Speaker 8>that it takes to all humanitarian aid, generally block the

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<v Speaker 8>delivery of aid to opposition controlled areas, an attempt to

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<v Speaker 8>force all donors and agencies to deliver aid only into

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<v Speaker 8>its own hands. I have spoken with humanitarian workers that

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<v Speaker 8>have been physically blocked at checkpoints and prevented from delivering

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<v Speaker 8>aid to earthquake impacted communities, and experienced their frustration and

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<v Speaker 8>their anger. The Hunter has reportedly evicted earthquake survivors from

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<v Speaker 8>their shelters, leaving those whose homes were destroyed with nowhere

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<v Speaker 8>to go. The Hunter proceeded to break a so called

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<v Speaker 8>humanitarian ceasefire almost immediately after declaring one, and repeated the

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<v Speaker 8>same cynical ploy again. Meanwhile, they've been attempting to exact

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<v Speaker 8>as much legitimacy as possible from engaging with foreign donors,

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<v Speaker 8>covering the pages of state media with pictures of foreign

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<v Speaker 8>aid workers posing with Hunter officials. Let me note, as

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<v Speaker 8>I have in the past, that the Hunter needs three

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<v Speaker 8>things to sustain itself, money, weapons, and legitimacy. We need

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<v Speaker 8>to do more to support the people of me and

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<v Speaker 8>mar by denying the Hunter all three, and there will

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<v Speaker 8>be opportunities and an obligation to do so this year.

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<v Speaker 8>By denying any recognition of the Hunter's so called election,

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<v Speaker 8>and I'll put that in quotes, that it is planning

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<v Speaker 8>for later this year. UN member states should call this

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<v Speaker 8>exercise for what it is, a charade and a fraud.

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<v Speaker 8>Now it is making the deepening crisis in me and

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<v Speaker 8>Mar worse for those inside of Me and Mar and

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<v Speaker 8>those who have fled Me and Mare.

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<v Speaker 7>Is the dismal, deadly.

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<v Speaker 8>Trajectory of the global retreat of international support. The Rainga

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<v Speaker 8>in IDP camps in central Rakine face severe food ration cuts.

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<v Speaker 8>Severe food ration cuts that hit them in April.

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<v Speaker 3>Now.

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<v Speaker 8>The World Food Program was able to partially restore these

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<v Speaker 8>cuts in June, but they're facing the fact that existing

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<v Speaker 8>resources will not be adequate to meeting a desperate need.

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<v Speaker 8>With out renewed funding, most of the more than one

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<v Speaker 8>hundred thousand refugees in Thailand will not receive any aid

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<v Speaker 8>starting in August, just a few weeks from now. Food

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<v Speaker 8>distribution for more than one million refugees in Bangladesh will

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<v Speaker 8>stop in October without additional funding. Health clinics in refugee

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<v Speaker 8>camps have shut down, leaving patients scrambling to find care

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<v Speaker 8>or face the consequences of going without treatment. I met

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<v Speaker 8>many refugees when I was on the border following the earthquake,

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<v Speaker 8>including persons with disabilities needing medical treatment. I met a

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<v Speaker 8>five year old boy who needed life saving heart surgery

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<v Speaker 8>and his mom. They were among the very lucky ones

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<v Speaker 8>who were able to get access to life saving health

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<v Speaker 8>care services, services that may very soon no longer be available.

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<v Speaker 8>The fact is halfway through twenty twenty five, the ME

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<v Speaker 8>and MAR Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is only twelve

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<v Speaker 8>percent funded. The RAINGO Humanitarian Crisis Joint and Response Plan

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<v Speaker 8>is only twenty two percent funded.

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<v Speaker 3>Now.

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<v Speaker 8>Leading the way of this dismal trajectory downward has been

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<v Speaker 8>the United States, and to be fair, the devastating impact

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<v Speaker 8>of US cuts reflects in part the leadership rule that

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<v Speaker 8>the United States has historically played in making sure that

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<v Speaker 8>these vitally important services were adequately funded, at least in

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<v Speaker 8>the past, and Americans can be proud of that. But

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<v Speaker 8>the US contribution to the ME and MAR Humanitarian Needs

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<v Speaker 8>and Response Plan was thirty percent last year. So far

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<v Speaker 8>it is five percent this year, thirty percent to five percent.

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<v Speaker 8>The US contribution to the Ringa Humanitarian Crisis Joint Response

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<v Speaker 8>Plan was fifty two percent in twenty twenty four. In

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<v Speaker 8>twenty twenty five it is six percent. US foreign assistance

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<v Speaker 8>commitments to ME and MAR was two hundred and thirty

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<v Speaker 8>seven million dollars in twenty twenty four, two hundred and

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<v Speaker 8>thirty four million in twenty two hundred and thirty seven million.

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<v Speaker 7>In twenty twenty four.

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<v Speaker 8>It is eight point five million in twenty twenty five,

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<v Speaker 8>two hundred and thirty seven million to eight point five million.

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<v Speaker 8>Now it is fair to ask why other governments had

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<v Speaker 8>not done more in the past. It's a fair question,

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<v Speaker 8>and whether they should step up and take a larger

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<v Speaker 8>share of the burden today. I believe a reasonable answer

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<v Speaker 8>to the second question is yes, as communities or businesses

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<v Speaker 8>who are dependent on a large source of revenue, no,

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<v Speaker 8>it is great as long as these large sources keep up,

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<v Speaker 8>but devastating when they cut back or worse.

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<v Speaker 7>Cut out.

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<v Speaker 8>A diversified source of revenue generates stability and security. In

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<v Speaker 8>the case of those impacted by the crisis in ME

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<v Speaker 8>and MAR, it can indeed be the key to survival. Unfortunately,

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<v Speaker 8>not only have many governments failed to step up to

423
00:35:35.119 --> 00:35:39.280
<v Speaker 8>fill the gaps left by US cuts, many have announced

424
00:35:39.519 --> 00:35:43.760
<v Speaker 8>their own reductions in aid. We are going, ladies and gentlemen,

425
00:35:44.079 --> 00:35:48.800
<v Speaker 8>in the wrong direction. Of course, the UN Human Rights

426
00:35:48.880 --> 00:35:53.320
<v Speaker 8>Council is also being impacted by a retreat in support

427
00:35:53.440 --> 00:35:57.880
<v Speaker 8>by a UN member states. There has been considerable discussion

428
00:35:58.320 --> 00:36:00.920
<v Speaker 8>here in Geneva about what is been described as a

429
00:36:01.559 --> 00:36:06.679
<v Speaker 8>liquidity crisis of the Human Rights Council. The fact is,

430
00:36:07.920 --> 00:36:15.000
<v Speaker 8>the Human Rights council liquidity crisis is really a political crisis.

431
00:36:15.880 --> 00:36:21.199
<v Speaker 8>It is a leadership crisis. It is a communication crisis.

432
00:36:21.719 --> 00:36:26.920
<v Speaker 8>It is a moral crisis. The Human Rights Council shines

433
00:36:27.000 --> 00:36:30.119
<v Speaker 8>a spotlight on human rights and assaults on those rights.

434
00:36:31.079 --> 00:36:36.119
<v Speaker 8>Its members express sentiments and past resolutions addressing a wide

435
00:36:36.440 --> 00:36:41.079
<v Speaker 8>range of human rights issues. But action as well as

436
00:36:41.199 --> 00:36:46.599
<v Speaker 8>words are necessary. Making investments to defend human rights and

437
00:36:46.920 --> 00:36:51.960
<v Speaker 8>fund critical aid. Establishing funding adequate funding for these critical

438
00:36:52.000 --> 00:36:54.800
<v Speaker 8>budgets is critically important.

439
00:36:55.079 --> 00:36:59.920
<v Speaker 7>Action matters. It is critical that governments walk the wall

440
00:37:01.679 --> 00:37:02.519
<v Speaker 7>at issue here.

441
00:37:03.400 --> 00:37:08.880
<v Speaker 8>Do human rights matter? And if human rights do matter,

442
00:37:09.920 --> 00:37:14.599
<v Speaker 8>if human decency matters, If saving the lives of children

443
00:37:14.679 --> 00:37:17.000
<v Speaker 8>in Me and mar who are in desperate need of

444
00:37:17.159 --> 00:37:21.519
<v Speaker 8>help matter, then those who believe it matters should be

445
00:37:21.599 --> 00:37:26.039
<v Speaker 8>willing to invest a modest amount of resources to save lives,

446
00:37:27.079 --> 00:37:31.920
<v Speaker 8>stop the immense and growing level of suffering, create stability

447
00:37:32.239 --> 00:37:36.239
<v Speaker 8>and enhance security for all. It is a very, very

448
00:37:36.400 --> 00:37:41.960
<v Speaker 8>wise investment. Now, the fact is there are political forces

449
00:37:43.199 --> 00:37:47.679
<v Speaker 8>that are pushing relentlessly to reject the very idea of

450
00:37:47.800 --> 00:37:51.719
<v Speaker 8>human rights. We see this all over the globe, and

451
00:37:51.800 --> 00:37:56.719
<v Speaker 8>they're pushing to ignore or vilify those who are victimized

452
00:37:57.199 --> 00:38:03.199
<v Speaker 8>by brutality, to deny or dismiss the factors that drive desperation,

453
00:38:03.880 --> 00:38:06.840
<v Speaker 8>forcing victims out of their homes, out of their villages,

454
00:38:07.159 --> 00:38:11.079
<v Speaker 8>or out of their countries. That reject the basic idea

455
00:38:11.440 --> 00:38:16.000
<v Speaker 8>that nations can and should work together across national borders

456
00:38:16.320 --> 00:38:21.480
<v Speaker 8>to save those whose lives would otherwise be lost. This

457
00:38:22.159 --> 00:38:26.239
<v Speaker 8>is who we are at our best, and it is

458
00:38:26.400 --> 00:38:30.480
<v Speaker 8>also in our own interest to stand up to forces

459
00:38:30.800 --> 00:38:37.400
<v Speaker 8>that drive instability, cruelty, and violence. This is a very

460
00:38:37.880 --> 00:38:42.920
<v Speaker 8>dangerous trajectory that we are now on. The fear card,

461
00:38:43.800 --> 00:38:49.159
<v Speaker 8>the grievance card, the vilification card are potential political tools

462
00:38:49.480 --> 00:38:52.480
<v Speaker 8>and weapons, and they're being used in many areas of

463
00:38:52.559 --> 00:38:56.360
<v Speaker 8>the world. But we have seen these cards played before

464
00:38:56.679 --> 00:39:01.400
<v Speaker 8>and we know where their trajectory leads. The United Nations

465
00:39:01.599 --> 00:39:05.960
<v Speaker 8>itself was created on the ashes of the devastation that

466
00:39:06.159 --> 00:39:11.119
<v Speaker 8>these types of cards generated nearly a century ago. The

467
00:39:11.320 --> 00:39:16.440
<v Speaker 8>downward trajectory that we are currently on will continue until

468
00:39:16.559 --> 00:39:20.119
<v Speaker 8>leaders are willing to stand up for human rights and

469
00:39:20.280 --> 00:39:24.440
<v Speaker 8>set priorities and budgets that reflect the best and not

470
00:39:24.639 --> 00:39:28.559
<v Speaker 8>the worst of us. When we do what is necessary

471
00:39:28.840 --> 00:39:31.719
<v Speaker 8>to communicate to citizens of all walks of life.

472
00:39:32.000 --> 00:39:33.360
<v Speaker 7>Why this matters.

473
00:39:34.280 --> 00:39:39.360
<v Speaker 8>When people of conscience stand up and say enough is enough.

474
00:39:40.519 --> 00:39:44.360
<v Speaker 8>Communication is where you members of the media can play

475
00:39:44.920 --> 00:39:50.159
<v Speaker 8>a decisive role. The Human Rights Council has been called

476
00:39:50.199 --> 00:39:54.920
<v Speaker 8>the conscience of the United Nations. Now more than ever,

477
00:39:55.599 --> 00:39:59.119
<v Speaker 8>the United Nations and world leaders to need to hear

478
00:39:59.679 --> 00:40:04.159
<v Speaker 8>and heed the voices of conscience because the stakes could

479
00:40:04.239 --> 00:40:09.800
<v Speaker 8>not be higher. I just want to say that there

480
00:40:09.920 --> 00:40:12.760
<v Speaker 8>is good news in the fact that we know what

481
00:40:12.960 --> 00:40:16.599
<v Speaker 8>happens when action is taken. We can see the results.

482
00:40:17.000 --> 00:40:19.920
<v Speaker 8>There's been a one third reduction in the flow of

483
00:40:20.039 --> 00:40:23.039
<v Speaker 8>weapons flowing into the hands of the military hunter using

484
00:40:23.079 --> 00:40:26.280
<v Speaker 8>the international financial system because of actions that have been

485
00:40:26.360 --> 00:40:31.519
<v Speaker 8>taken by member states. We know how vital civil society

486
00:40:31.639 --> 00:40:33.800
<v Speaker 8>is in me and more and will be some of

487
00:40:33.880 --> 00:40:37.360
<v Speaker 8>those representatives of civil society will be addressing the Council

488
00:40:37.960 --> 00:40:42.800
<v Speaker 8>on Friday. And we know that the private sector has

489
00:40:42.880 --> 00:40:46.440
<v Speaker 8>been stepping up as well to take action when we

490
00:40:46.599 --> 00:40:51.800
<v Speaker 8>release the report, a report on why and how the

491
00:40:51.920 --> 00:40:56.119
<v Speaker 8>private sector and the public sector have been providing the

492
00:40:56.239 --> 00:40:58.920
<v Speaker 8>means by which the Hunter has been arming itself through

493
00:40:58.960 --> 00:41:05.760
<v Speaker 8>the international financial system. Singapore took action that reduced ninety

494
00:41:05.800 --> 00:41:09.320
<v Speaker 8>percent of the weapons flowing from Singapore into ME and more.

495
00:41:09.480 --> 00:41:15.000
<v Speaker 8>And in Thailand, Bankhawk Bank cut off its relationship with

496
00:41:15.239 --> 00:41:20.840
<v Speaker 8>the Hunter controlled me and mar Economic bank that facilitates

497
00:41:21.079 --> 00:41:24.880
<v Speaker 8>the flow of this financing and translates it into the

498
00:41:25.000 --> 00:41:28.960
<v Speaker 8>weapons that are being used to commit gross human rights violations.

499
00:41:29.159 --> 00:41:34.440
<v Speaker 8>These are specific actions that are extremely positive and very fruitful.

500
00:41:35.000 --> 00:41:38.639
<v Speaker 8>And by the way, these actions don't cost money. They

501
00:41:38.719 --> 00:41:43.000
<v Speaker 8>simply require political will. But it is a political will

502
00:41:43.280 --> 00:41:48.119
<v Speaker 8>that we need to generate all around the world. The

503
00:41:48.199 --> 00:41:49.320
<v Speaker 8>stakes could not be higher.

504
00:41:49.440 --> 00:41:59.840
<v Speaker 1>Thank you, Thank you, mister Andrews.

505
00:42:00.119 --> 00:42:03.599
<v Speaker 6>The Special Rubert will now take questions. Please state your

506
00:42:03.679 --> 00:42:06.280
<v Speaker 6>name and organization before asking a question. We'll start with

507
00:42:07.480 --> 00:42:08.320
<v Speaker 6>journal us in the room.

508
00:42:09.639 --> 00:42:09.920
<v Speaker 2>Thank you.

509
00:42:11.199 --> 00:42:17.519
<v Speaker 9>Nina Larson with AFP, Thanks for this interesting briefing. I

510
00:42:17.679 --> 00:42:20.280
<v Speaker 9>was hoping you could say, provide a few more details

511
00:42:20.320 --> 00:42:23.800
<v Speaker 9>about about the specific impact on the ground that you're

512
00:42:24.039 --> 00:42:29.480
<v Speaker 9>you're seeing from from the cuts to aid and also

513
00:42:30.199 --> 00:42:35.000
<v Speaker 9>you mentioned the the earthquake response. I know that the

514
00:42:35.800 --> 00:42:43.880
<v Speaker 9>junta has extended the ceasefire. How I mean, is there

515
00:42:44.079 --> 00:42:47.039
<v Speaker 9>is there any sign that that things have improved on

516
00:42:47.119 --> 00:42:51.440
<v Speaker 9>the ground in terms of of the violence or do

517
00:42:51.559 --> 00:42:54.639
<v Speaker 9>you see them continuing air strikes if you could just

518
00:42:54.719 --> 00:42:55.719
<v Speaker 9>talk a little bit more about that.

519
00:42:55.880 --> 00:43:00.800
<v Speaker 7>Thank you, Okay, thank you, very good question.

520
00:43:02.639 --> 00:43:06.960
<v Speaker 8>You know, we saw just an acceleration of air strikes

521
00:43:07.079 --> 00:43:11.599
<v Speaker 8>in April, following the earthquake and following their declaration of.

522
00:43:11.599 --> 00:43:13.719
<v Speaker 7>A so called seasfire. And by the way, that ceasefire

523
00:43:13.800 --> 00:43:16.360
<v Speaker 7>that they declared followed the seaspire that was.

524
00:43:16.320 --> 00:43:20.440
<v Speaker 8>Announced the unilateral ceasefire announced by resistance forces, So they

525
00:43:20.480 --> 00:43:25.199
<v Speaker 8>were kind of shamed into doing something and announcing this ceasefire,

526
00:43:25.679 --> 00:43:30.920
<v Speaker 8>but it was a cynical ploy. It meant nothing because

527
00:43:31.039 --> 00:43:36.039
<v Speaker 8>in fact, the actions were extremely devastating, and I talked

528
00:43:36.079 --> 00:43:40.559
<v Speaker 8>to two doctors, I talked to those who were eyewitnesses

529
00:43:40.639 --> 00:43:44.840
<v Speaker 8>of devastated villages that had been hit by these air strikes.

530
00:43:45.199 --> 00:43:49.480
<v Speaker 7>You know, there was someone was telling me that young

531
00:43:49.559 --> 00:43:50.199
<v Speaker 7>people were.

532
00:43:52.159 --> 00:43:55.719
<v Speaker 8>Running as they should, out of their homes and going

533
00:43:55.760 --> 00:44:01.199
<v Speaker 8>out into fields to protect themselves from the earthquake, only

534
00:44:01.239 --> 00:44:05.000
<v Speaker 8>to see and hear aircraft above, so they had to

535
00:44:05.079 --> 00:44:08.440
<v Speaker 8>turn around, uh and and go inside.

536
00:44:09.599 --> 00:44:12.119
<v Speaker 7>Because of the of that of that threat.

537
00:44:12.199 --> 00:44:15.800
<v Speaker 8>So, I mean, it was just an extraordinary experience for

538
00:44:16.639 --> 00:44:19.239
<v Speaker 8>these in this case, these young people, people all over

539
00:44:19.320 --> 00:44:24.320
<v Speaker 8>the all over the country. You know, we we know,

540
00:44:25.079 --> 00:44:28.239
<v Speaker 8>and we've we've documented and and my reports will continue

541
00:44:28.840 --> 00:44:33.239
<v Speaker 8>to document as I've outlined the extent to which this

542
00:44:33.400 --> 00:44:37.440
<v Speaker 8>devastation continues. But what is important to note is the

543
00:44:37.559 --> 00:44:41.039
<v Speaker 8>trend lines as I've been as I mentioned, are going

544
00:44:41.119 --> 00:44:45.199
<v Speaker 8>absolutely in the opposite direction. The Hunter's attacks on villages

545
00:44:46.119 --> 00:44:50.960
<v Speaker 8>have been actually increasing. Air assaults have been increasing, and

546
00:44:51.320 --> 00:44:55.519
<v Speaker 8>what we found is that as it's more and more

547
00:44:55.599 --> 00:44:58.960
<v Speaker 8>dangerous for ground troops to be moving because of the

548
00:44:59.000 --> 00:45:02.320
<v Speaker 8>presence of resistance forces and tactics that have been used

549
00:45:02.360 --> 00:45:09.559
<v Speaker 8>to intercept those those those ground forces or intercept supply lines,

550
00:45:10.880 --> 00:45:14.679
<v Speaker 8>the use of aircraft has been increasing and the use

551
00:45:14.800 --> 00:45:19.679
<v Speaker 8>of bombing have been increasing and and and the reason

552
00:45:19.760 --> 00:45:22.440
<v Speaker 8>that that is so devastating is not just the volume

553
00:45:22.599 --> 00:45:26.440
<v Speaker 8>the increase that we've been documenting, but also because of

554
00:45:26.519 --> 00:45:32.159
<v Speaker 8>the indiscriminate nature of these of these aerial attacks and

555
00:45:32.360 --> 00:45:40.800
<v Speaker 8>how they have been hitting schools, monasteries. We've documented that

556
00:45:41.159 --> 00:45:46.719
<v Speaker 8>they have hit centers for internally displaced persons. I met

557
00:45:46.760 --> 00:45:51.719
<v Speaker 8>a dad who lost his two only two children, two daughters,

558
00:45:52.840 --> 00:45:55.400
<v Speaker 8>after he brought them to an IDP center for safety

559
00:45:56.119 --> 00:46:01.559
<v Speaker 8>because the IDP center was was was hit. I've talked

560
00:46:01.599 --> 00:46:07.199
<v Speaker 8>to parents whose children were injured in attacks at a school.

561
00:46:09.760 --> 00:46:15.320
<v Speaker 8>So this is devastating and it's increasing. The numbers are

562
00:46:16.320 --> 00:46:18.480
<v Speaker 8>the numbers are bad, but the reality on the ground

563
00:46:18.760 --> 00:46:21.880
<v Speaker 8>this experiences is devastating. And I also just want to

564
00:46:21.920 --> 00:46:24.519
<v Speaker 8>put also in kind of brackets. There's a lot we

565
00:46:24.599 --> 00:46:27.719
<v Speaker 8>don't know. It's very difficult, as I'm sure you know,

566
00:46:28.079 --> 00:46:32.960
<v Speaker 8>of getting information quickly and accurately. Now, we have people

567
00:46:33.039 --> 00:46:36.760
<v Speaker 8>around the country that have been very courageous in providing

568
00:46:36.880 --> 00:46:42.480
<v Speaker 8>us with information and testimony, but they take great risk

569
00:46:42.559 --> 00:46:44.400
<v Speaker 8>in order to do that, and we know that the

570
00:46:44.519 --> 00:46:47.719
<v Speaker 8>numbers that we're seeing are less than what is actually

571
00:46:47.800 --> 00:46:49.559
<v Speaker 8>happening because of that fact.

572
00:46:56.280 --> 00:46:58.440
<v Speaker 9>Sorry, just on the people you mentioned now who are

573
00:46:58.480 --> 00:47:03.840
<v Speaker 9>taking great risks to get you information, how are you

574
00:47:04.079 --> 00:47:06.519
<v Speaker 9>I mean, the impact that you were talking about this

575
00:47:06.840 --> 00:47:11.400
<v Speaker 9>liquidity crisis at the Human Rights Council and the fact

576
00:47:11.480 --> 00:47:15.599
<v Speaker 9>that things seem to be I assume that you know

577
00:47:15.719 --> 00:47:18.400
<v Speaker 9>money is in short supply when it comes to these

578
00:47:18.480 --> 00:47:23.079
<v Speaker 9>investigations now, and I guess there's a bit of uncertainty

579
00:47:23.159 --> 00:47:29.320
<v Speaker 9>about how much how much you can continue the work

580
00:47:29.639 --> 00:47:33.760
<v Speaker 9>and how much effect it might have with everything with

581
00:47:33.880 --> 00:47:37.119
<v Speaker 9>the liquidity crisis. How do you talk to the people

582
00:47:37.199 --> 00:47:41.320
<v Speaker 9>on the ground who are providing you with this information

583
00:47:41.480 --> 00:47:45.599
<v Speaker 9>at great risk of themselves in light of you know,

584
00:47:45.719 --> 00:47:47.559
<v Speaker 9>the developments that you're seeing.

585
00:47:48.480 --> 00:47:55.119
<v Speaker 8>No, it's really hard, it's really hard. I mean, they're

586
00:47:55.159 --> 00:48:01.079
<v Speaker 8>risking everything and and they've lost so much. And the

587
00:48:01.199 --> 00:48:04.800
<v Speaker 8>fact is is that the look, you know, we we

588
00:48:06.400 --> 00:48:12.679
<v Speaker 8>manifest values in action, including budgets. How much money we

589
00:48:12.800 --> 00:48:19.039
<v Speaker 8>put up to do things reflects our values. And the

590
00:48:19.880 --> 00:48:22.360
<v Speaker 8>message that we're sending in terms of those values is

591
00:48:22.440 --> 00:48:26.719
<v Speaker 8>not a good one. That we're not valuing these human lives,

592
00:48:28.320 --> 00:48:33.599
<v Speaker 8>these people who are who who's taking such such risk

593
00:48:33.880 --> 00:48:36.599
<v Speaker 8>to save their country, where we're sending them absolutely the

594
00:48:36.639 --> 00:48:37.840
<v Speaker 8>wrong message.

595
00:48:37.880 --> 00:48:38.400
<v Speaker 7>And the and the.

596
00:48:38.519 --> 00:48:42.280
<v Speaker 8>Insane thing is is that it doesn't take a lot

597
00:48:42.320 --> 00:48:45.920
<v Speaker 8>of money, you know, and when you compare the cost

598
00:48:46.559 --> 00:48:50.199
<v Speaker 8>of the devastation that is that that that that's out there,

599
00:48:50.239 --> 00:48:53.159
<v Speaker 8>and the great risk of the instability and insecurity that

600
00:48:53.280 --> 00:48:56.119
<v Speaker 8>can follow. I mean it's not an I think an

601
00:48:56.199 --> 00:49:01.159
<v Speaker 8>accident that as these commitments of recent sources for things

602
00:49:01.280 --> 00:49:04.960
<v Speaker 8>like human rights and humanitarian aid have been decreasing, defense

603
00:49:05.039 --> 00:49:09.800
<v Speaker 8>budgets have been increasing. So you're you're creating a world

604
00:49:09.840 --> 00:49:13.679
<v Speaker 8>that is much less secure and much less stable. You're

605
00:49:13.800 --> 00:49:17.360
<v Speaker 8>fueling it by not making your commitments to things that

606
00:49:17.440 --> 00:49:20.679
<v Speaker 8>can actually reduce that instability, and then you're forced to

607
00:49:20.760 --> 00:49:24.760
<v Speaker 8>spend even more money on weapons of war to confront

608
00:49:24.880 --> 00:49:26.519
<v Speaker 8>this insecurity and instability.

609
00:49:27.199 --> 00:49:31.559
<v Speaker 7>And we've seen this movie before. I mean, this very

610
00:49:31.719 --> 00:49:33.440
<v Speaker 7>institution was created.

611
00:49:33.119 --> 00:49:36.000
<v Speaker 8>On the ashes of the devastation of what can happen

612
00:49:36.199 --> 00:49:39.440
<v Speaker 8>when these forces are allowed to take off.

613
00:49:39.519 --> 00:49:41.480
<v Speaker 7>And they're taking off right now. We can see it

614
00:49:41.559 --> 00:49:45.920
<v Speaker 7>happening right now. And you know, I get it.

615
00:49:46.000 --> 00:49:49.679
<v Speaker 8>I was in politics for a dozen years in the US,

616
00:49:49.840 --> 00:49:52.920
<v Speaker 8>and you know, when you when you're when you're traveling

617
00:49:53.599 --> 00:49:57.079
<v Speaker 8>and you're talking to citizens, you know it's it's not

618
00:49:57.480 --> 00:50:00.320
<v Speaker 8>the easiest case in the world to make to send

619
00:50:00.400 --> 00:50:05.800
<v Speaker 8>we need to send and invest money overseas, but we

620
00:50:05.960 --> 00:50:09.559
<v Speaker 8>have to make that case, and we have to you know,

621
00:50:09.679 --> 00:50:13.480
<v Speaker 8>and really, if if the people of my former congressional

622
00:50:13.559 --> 00:50:19.079
<v Speaker 8>district met the little boy who's whose heart condition. Uh

623
00:50:21.840 --> 00:50:26.840
<v Speaker 8>as surgery was going to determine life or death. They

624
00:50:26.920 --> 00:50:30.079
<v Speaker 8>want that that that boy to have that surgery, you know,

625
00:50:30.199 --> 00:50:34.039
<v Speaker 8>they they want these families to be able to to survive.

626
00:50:34.679 --> 00:50:40.880
<v Speaker 8>They'd understand completely what happens when you've lost everything and

627
00:50:42.000 --> 00:50:44.400
<v Speaker 8>the only hope is to gather your family together and

628
00:50:44.559 --> 00:50:48.159
<v Speaker 8>move to safety. They'd understand this. But we need to

629
00:50:48.239 --> 00:50:51.960
<v Speaker 8>communicate that to people. And we need to counter this

630
00:50:52.159 --> 00:50:59.119
<v Speaker 8>political movement, this, this vilification, this fear card, this these

631
00:50:59.239 --> 00:51:03.679
<v Speaker 8>these forces of darkness that are descending in areas around

632
00:51:03.719 --> 00:51:04.119
<v Speaker 8>the world.

633
00:51:04.199 --> 00:51:05.159
<v Speaker 7>We need to fight that.

634
00:51:05.320 --> 00:51:07.960
<v Speaker 8>We need to stand up for these principles and values.

635
00:51:08.920 --> 00:51:11.159
<v Speaker 8>The member states of the United Nations and the Human

636
00:51:11.239 --> 00:51:14.400
<v Speaker 8>Rights Council can only do as much as the political

637
00:51:14.519 --> 00:51:17.960
<v Speaker 8>climate in their countries are going to allow, and so

638
00:51:18.159 --> 00:51:21.400
<v Speaker 8>leaders have to step up to influence that climate. Civil

639
00:51:21.480 --> 00:51:24.719
<v Speaker 8>society has to step up, Faith based organizations have to

640
00:51:24.760 --> 00:51:28.079
<v Speaker 8>step up. We all have to step up to address

641
00:51:28.159 --> 00:51:31.599
<v Speaker 8>that climate. And we're not doing it. We're not doing it.

642
00:51:31.880 --> 00:51:32.719
<v Speaker 3>So I have the.

643
00:51:34.440 --> 00:51:37.239
<v Speaker 8>Honor of being on the front lines of what's happening,

644
00:51:37.280 --> 00:51:39.480
<v Speaker 8>what the consequences of this is, and I'm doing my

645
00:51:39.639 --> 00:51:42.800
<v Speaker 8>best to convey that to people. But we all have

646
00:51:43.000 --> 00:51:47.519
<v Speaker 8>to take the action necessary to mitigate that immense suffering

647
00:51:47.559 --> 00:51:48.280
<v Speaker 8>that I'm witnessing.

648
00:51:50.639 --> 00:51:57.119
<v Speaker 9>Yeah, I follow up, there might be other people. I

649
00:51:57.280 --> 00:51:59.559
<v Speaker 9>just to follow up on what you were just saying.

650
00:52:00.800 --> 00:52:04.119
<v Speaker 9>Right today, there's a big NATO meeting where countries are

651
00:52:04.199 --> 00:52:08.119
<v Speaker 9>getting together to discuss, as you're mentioning, defense budgets, and

652
00:52:08.559 --> 00:52:11.360
<v Speaker 9>these are some of the same countries that have slashed

653
00:52:11.519 --> 00:52:18.280
<v Speaker 9>their funding for humanitarian need and foreign need. If you

654
00:52:18.320 --> 00:52:21.840
<v Speaker 9>could just say something about about this push to increase

655
00:52:21.920 --> 00:52:26.239
<v Speaker 9>defense budgets to five percent that they're discussing today.

656
00:52:27.960 --> 00:52:34.840
<v Speaker 7>We need to be addressing the causes.

657
00:52:36.119 --> 00:52:41.239
<v Speaker 8>Of instability and insecurity, and we're failing to do that,

658
00:52:43.119 --> 00:52:48.039
<v Speaker 8>and so it is a much wiser investment in it.

659
00:52:48.159 --> 00:52:54.239
<v Speaker 8>It is a much more reasonable investment to mitigate the

660
00:52:54.400 --> 00:53:00.719
<v Speaker 8>causes of instability and security rather than be putting more

661
00:53:00.800 --> 00:53:04.559
<v Speaker 8>and more money into dealing with the consequences of that

662
00:53:04.719 --> 00:53:07.920
<v Speaker 8>insecurity and instability. It's an imbalance here that's going on.

663
00:53:08.519 --> 00:53:12.079
<v Speaker 8>It's these trajectories of defense spending going this way and

664
00:53:12.800 --> 00:53:17.159
<v Speaker 8>human rights and humanitarian spending going in absolutely the opposite direction.

665
00:53:17.719 --> 00:53:22.280
<v Speaker 8>This leads to disaster, and that's the trajectory that we

666
00:53:22.760 --> 00:53:25.840
<v Speaker 8>are on that is why this is so dangerous. The

667
00:53:27.320 --> 00:53:30.920
<v Speaker 8>conversations in NATO, I know are going to be are

668
00:53:31.000 --> 00:53:33.400
<v Speaker 8>not going to include what I'm talking about, but they should,

669
00:53:34.039 --> 00:53:35.239
<v Speaker 8>they really really should.

670
00:53:39.119 --> 00:53:42.960
<v Speaker 6>Thank you. I will take the questions from those online.

671
00:53:48.559 --> 00:53:49.320
<v Speaker 10>Thank you very much.

672
00:53:51.360 --> 00:53:51.920
<v Speaker 7>Okay, So.

673
00:53:53.480 --> 00:53:57.719
<v Speaker 10>The reduction of USA that you have mentioned is very dramatic.

674
00:53:58.599 --> 00:54:01.199
<v Speaker 10>Would you dare to say that the US has abandoned

675
00:54:01.280 --> 00:54:05.599
<v Speaker 10>the Rhindia people and also the other opposition in Me

676
00:54:05.719 --> 00:54:10.159
<v Speaker 10>and Mar also by banning the entry of Me and

677
00:54:10.239 --> 00:54:14.440
<v Speaker 10>Mar citizens to the USA, and also, if I may,

678
00:54:15.199 --> 00:54:19.480
<v Speaker 10>I think you mentioned in in other reports or other

679
00:54:19.599 --> 00:54:25.639
<v Speaker 10>interventions that Me and Mar junta was losing ground. I

680
00:54:25.719 --> 00:54:29.880
<v Speaker 10>don't think you haven't mentioned. Now does it mean that

681
00:54:30.280 --> 00:54:36.440
<v Speaker 10>it's regaining control and what this would mean for the

682
00:54:36.559 --> 00:54:40.400
<v Speaker 10>future of Me and Mar and the possibility of the

683
00:54:40.599 --> 00:54:44.239
<v Speaker 10>democracy coming back to the country.

684
00:54:44.480 --> 00:54:44.760
<v Speaker 2>Thank you.

685
00:54:47.760 --> 00:54:47.960
<v Speaker 7>Well.

686
00:54:48.079 --> 00:54:50.719
<v Speaker 8>I can tell you that the United States is not

687
00:54:50.800 --> 00:54:55.880
<v Speaker 8>alone in moving in the wrong direction when it comes

688
00:54:55.920 --> 00:55:01.760
<v Speaker 8>to humanitarian aid and supporting democracy and human rights in

689
00:55:02.599 --> 00:55:08.960
<v Speaker 8>Me and more other countries are following following suit. But

690
00:55:09.519 --> 00:55:15.039
<v Speaker 8>my point was that the United States, having been such

691
00:55:15.119 --> 00:55:19.960
<v Speaker 8>a leader in investments in humanitarian aid and human rights,

692
00:55:20.639 --> 00:55:23.599
<v Speaker 8>the traumatic cuts that have been made by the United

693
00:55:23.599 --> 00:55:27.920
<v Speaker 8>States is that much more devastating. So the impact is

694
00:55:28.000 --> 00:55:31.239
<v Speaker 8>that much more devastating because of the volume that we

695
00:55:31.360 --> 00:55:35.519
<v Speaker 8>started out with with US funding. So you need to

696
00:55:35.559 --> 00:55:38.880
<v Speaker 8>put that in context. And I think it's fair for

697
00:55:39.039 --> 00:55:44.320
<v Speaker 8>the United States to say, well, look we've been we've

698
00:55:44.360 --> 00:55:49.920
<v Speaker 8>been providing the world with a greater share than what

699
00:55:50.039 --> 00:55:53.440
<v Speaker 8>we should be. There should be more balanced. Other countries

700
00:55:53.440 --> 00:55:56.639
<v Speaker 8>should be stepping up. It's a fair argument, and we can.

701
00:55:56.599 --> 00:55:57.639
<v Speaker 7>Have that discussion.

702
00:55:58.480 --> 00:56:02.079
<v Speaker 8>But the fact is is that we're all going in

703
00:56:02.159 --> 00:56:05.039
<v Speaker 8>the wrong direction and instead of stepping up, countries are

704
00:56:05.519 --> 00:56:10.440
<v Speaker 8>stepping stepping back. And of course the United States we

705
00:56:11.480 --> 00:56:15.000
<v Speaker 8>just talked about NATO has been pressuring NATO countries to

706
00:56:15.079 --> 00:56:15.800
<v Speaker 8>step up when.

707
00:56:15.719 --> 00:56:17.039
<v Speaker 7>It comes to defense spending.

708
00:56:17.079 --> 00:56:20.599
<v Speaker 8>Well, I think it's really important that NATO countries in

709
00:56:20.679 --> 00:56:23.880
<v Speaker 8>all countries step up when it comes to humanitarian aid

710
00:56:24.480 --> 00:56:30.239
<v Speaker 8>and investments in human rights. And what made it all

711
00:56:30.360 --> 00:56:34.960
<v Speaker 8>the worse is not just the volume of you know,

712
00:56:35.760 --> 00:56:39.920
<v Speaker 8>you go from the very very significant of the two

713
00:56:40.000 --> 00:56:43.159
<v Speaker 8>hundred and thirty seven million dollars from the United States

714
00:56:43.239 --> 00:56:46.639
<v Speaker 8>and two in twenty twenty four down to eight point

715
00:56:46.760 --> 00:56:49.679
<v Speaker 8>five million. That is devastating, but What is made that

716
00:56:49.880 --> 00:56:53.760
<v Speaker 8>worse is because it happened so abruptly and so chaotically,

717
00:56:55.079 --> 00:57:00.559
<v Speaker 8>and people couldn't prepare, they couldn't make adjustments, they couldn't

718
00:57:00.760 --> 00:57:03.800
<v Speaker 8>look to see where other resources might come from. So

719
00:57:03.960 --> 00:57:06.320
<v Speaker 8>it was the it was the cuts and the chaos

720
00:57:07.320 --> 00:57:10.480
<v Speaker 8>around those cuts that made things so devastating. I mean,

721
00:57:10.559 --> 00:57:13.079
<v Speaker 8>I was there when that earthquake happened, and I was

722
00:57:13.199 --> 00:57:17.880
<v Speaker 8>there as as the mobilization of support and aid to

723
00:57:18.320 --> 00:57:22.000
<v Speaker 8>desperate people was was underway. Uh, and the United States

724
00:57:22.360 --> 00:57:25.599
<v Speaker 8>was miss missing in action when in the past it

725
00:57:25.639 --> 00:57:29.400
<v Speaker 8>would be taking a lead in not only providing resources,

726
00:57:29.440 --> 00:57:32.360
<v Speaker 8>but but coordinating the provision of resources.

727
00:57:32.639 --> 00:57:36.800
<v Speaker 7>And and it broke my heart to see that expertise

728
00:57:37.960 --> 00:57:41.480
<v Speaker 7>on the ground. They're ready to go and not being used.

729
00:57:42.000 --> 00:57:46.559
<v Speaker 8>Because of the chaos that followed those of those devastating cuts.

730
00:57:46.599 --> 00:57:48.960
<v Speaker 8>So it was the amount, and it was the chaos

731
00:57:49.599 --> 00:57:52.840
<v Speaker 8>and and and and and the stakes of that were

732
00:57:52.920 --> 00:57:58.880
<v Speaker 8>quite were quite devastating. Oh and let me the second

733
00:57:58.920 --> 00:58:01.920
<v Speaker 8>part of the question was, UH, with respect to the

734
00:58:02.000 --> 00:58:05.360
<v Speaker 8>resistance and and the progress that has been made on

735
00:58:05.440 --> 00:58:05.800
<v Speaker 8>the ground.

736
00:58:06.159 --> 00:58:08.960
<v Speaker 7>You know, I don't want to I want to be

737
00:58:09.039 --> 00:58:13.519
<v Speaker 7>really clear here. There there is.

738
00:58:15.719 --> 00:58:20.079
<v Speaker 8>I think, well, we're it's very difficult to protect anything.

739
00:58:21.239 --> 00:58:23.519
<v Speaker 8>Of course, the case in Syria is a good example.

740
00:58:23.519 --> 00:58:27.400
<v Speaker 8>Who would have thought that that change happened as as

741
00:58:27.559 --> 00:58:32.000
<v Speaker 8>dramatically as it did. But the fact is is that

742
00:58:32.239 --> 00:58:36.599
<v Speaker 8>the the military hunter, while it is loathed by the

743
00:58:36.639 --> 00:58:40.280
<v Speaker 8>people of me and more believe me, and while it

744
00:58:40.360 --> 00:58:48.320
<v Speaker 8>has lost considerable it's lost territory, and it's lost soldiers

745
00:58:48.400 --> 00:58:51.360
<v Speaker 8>and military facilities and and so forth, there's no no

746
00:58:51.480 --> 00:58:53.360
<v Speaker 8>question at all. It's the reason why they have this

747
00:58:53.519 --> 00:58:58.559
<v Speaker 8>forced military conscription program. They're they're losing, they're losing ground

748
00:58:58.639 --> 00:59:03.800
<v Speaker 8>literally and figuratively, but they have significant resources available to them,

749
00:59:04.320 --> 00:59:07.760
<v Speaker 8>financial resources and weapons that are being provided to them

750
00:59:08.280 --> 00:59:12.239
<v Speaker 8>from abroad. And as long as those resources continue to flow,

751
00:59:13.239 --> 00:59:16.559
<v Speaker 8>they're going to continue to reak significant havoc.

752
00:59:17.440 --> 00:59:20.320
<v Speaker 7>And they're not and they're not hesitant to do so.

753
00:59:25.320 --> 00:59:25.559
<v Speaker 3>Thank you.

754
00:59:25.639 --> 00:59:27.239
<v Speaker 6>We have a follow up question online.

755
00:59:33.920 --> 00:59:38.320
<v Speaker 10>Thank you for your answers. Just another short question. In

756
00:59:38.400 --> 00:59:42.000
<v Speaker 10>the beginning, you mentioned a very interesting numbers, including the

757
00:59:42.800 --> 00:59:47.000
<v Speaker 10>number of dead in the conflict, which sometimes is difficult

758
00:59:47.039 --> 00:59:51.800
<v Speaker 10>to get these numbers. Do they come from your own

759
00:59:51.880 --> 00:59:57.519
<v Speaker 10>investigation or you have official sources? For example, these sixty

760
00:59:57.599 --> 01:00:01.599
<v Speaker 10>three thousand people that you mentioned that have died in

761
01:00:02.760 --> 01:00:03.719
<v Speaker 10>since the coup.

762
01:00:03.800 --> 01:00:07.119
<v Speaker 8>Thinking, yeah, no, these these come from a variety of sources,

763
01:00:08.360 --> 01:00:09.719
<v Speaker 8>but they're vetted sources.

764
01:00:09.800 --> 01:00:15.159
<v Speaker 7>They're they're very reliable and and and they're understated of

765
01:00:15.239 --> 01:00:15.960
<v Speaker 7>any of anything.

766
01:00:16.079 --> 01:00:19.599
<v Speaker 8>I mean, this is when I when I mentioned these numbers,

767
01:00:19.639 --> 01:00:23.199
<v Speaker 8>there are at least uh these numbers of people, and

768
01:00:23.280 --> 01:00:26.119
<v Speaker 8>you get arranged. I mean, some some come out with

769
01:00:26.320 --> 01:00:30.880
<v Speaker 8>with with higher numbers than than these, but but these

770
01:00:30.920 --> 01:00:33.039
<v Speaker 8>are these are vetted numbers.

771
01:00:33.119 --> 01:00:33.519
<v Speaker 3>But but.

772
01:00:35.039 --> 01:00:38.239
<v Speaker 8>You know, sixty eight hundred people killed, twenty two thousand

773
01:00:38.280 --> 01:00:42.000
<v Speaker 8>political prisoners behind bars, and just think about that and

774
01:00:42.440 --> 01:00:45.079
<v Speaker 8>the fact that they're declaring there's going to be an

775
01:00:45.079 --> 01:00:49.119
<v Speaker 8>election uh in in in the end of the year,

776
01:00:49.199 --> 01:00:51.840
<v Speaker 8>and they're looking for a basically, they want to find

777
01:00:51.840 --> 01:00:55.000
<v Speaker 8>an exit ramp to the international pressure. They're trying to

778
01:00:55.079 --> 01:00:59.480
<v Speaker 8>create this mirage of an election exercise that will create

779
01:00:59.840 --> 01:01:08.119
<v Speaker 8>a legitimate civilian government. But you know, you cannot have

780
01:01:08.199 --> 01:01:13.760
<v Speaker 8>an election when you imprison and torture and execute your opponents,

781
01:01:14.400 --> 01:01:18.440
<v Speaker 8>when it is illegal to report the truth as a journalist,

782
01:01:18.639 --> 01:01:22.639
<v Speaker 8>when it's illegal to speak out and criticize the hunter.

783
01:01:23.039 --> 01:01:29.280
<v Speaker 8>And it's really important that countries reject this idea of

784
01:01:29.440 --> 01:01:33.840
<v Speaker 8>an election and and and not allow the military hunted

785
01:01:33.920 --> 01:01:37.800
<v Speaker 8>to to attempt to get away with this this fraud.

786
01:01:37.840 --> 01:01:41.039
<v Speaker 8>I mean that doesn't cost any money to do so,

787
01:01:41.280 --> 01:01:45.840
<v Speaker 8>but it's a It would be extremely helpful if the

788
01:01:47.039 --> 01:01:49.840
<v Speaker 8>the UN member states were to make it very clear

789
01:01:50.239 --> 01:01:53.719
<v Speaker 8>that that this is going to be recognized not as

790
01:01:53.719 --> 01:01:55.320
<v Speaker 8>an election but as a fraud.

791
01:01:55.400 --> 01:01:56.400
<v Speaker 7>That would go a long way.

792
01:02:00.360 --> 01:02:00.639
<v Speaker 1>Thank you.

793
01:02:01.199 --> 01:02:03.840
<v Speaker 6>Are there any other questions in the room or online?

794
01:02:04.880 --> 01:02:07.519
<v Speaker 6>I here hand up online? Is it an old hand

795
01:02:07.639 --> 01:02:08.920
<v Speaker 6>or is there a question?

796
01:02:10.519 --> 01:02:14.440
<v Speaker 10>No, I have a question if nobody else wants to

797
01:02:14.760 --> 01:02:19.079
<v Speaker 10>to to ask. It's about the weapons. You mentioned that

798
01:02:20.440 --> 01:02:25.400
<v Speaker 10>countries like Thailand and Singapore have been able to reduce.

799
01:02:25.920 --> 01:02:28.360
<v Speaker 10>It looks like these countries are more channels, you know

800
01:02:28.519 --> 01:02:33.079
<v Speaker 10>that rather than providers of weapons. Do you know or

801
01:02:33.119 --> 01:02:39.440
<v Speaker 10>can you mention which which countries which governments could be

802
01:02:39.679 --> 01:02:42.320
<v Speaker 10>selling the weapons to to the junta.

803
01:02:42.519 --> 01:02:42.760
<v Speaker 7>Thank you?

804
01:02:44.440 --> 01:02:47.360
<v Speaker 8>Well, yes, I and i've i've I've documented this and

805
01:02:47.760 --> 01:02:52.440
<v Speaker 8>we continue to to monitor the traffic. The traffic flow

806
01:02:53.960 --> 01:02:58.039
<v Speaker 8>and some of those numbers you know have changed and

807
01:02:58.159 --> 01:03:01.639
<v Speaker 8>modified over the the past few years. But what has

808
01:03:01.719 --> 01:03:06.079
<v Speaker 8>been remaining pretty consistent is that Russia is the single

809
01:03:06.159 --> 01:03:09.360
<v Speaker 8>largest source of weapons for the Military Hunter, and China

810
01:03:09.519 --> 01:03:12.039
<v Speaker 8>is the second largest source of weapons for the Military Hunter.

811
01:03:42.639 --> 01:03:47.519
<v Speaker 2>Show has been produced by Depictions Media. Please contact us

812
01:03:47.800 --> 01:03:51.159
<v Speaker 2>at depictions dot media for more information.