Junta Renews Bid to Oust UN Envoy

Myanmar’s military regime has stepped up its campaign to remove U Kyaw Moe Tun, the country’s UN ambassador who famously defied the 2021 coup, publishing a second open letter to Secretary‑General António Guterres in the space of a week.

The plea, carried in state mouthpiece Myanma Alin on Wednesday, urged the UN to strip Kyaw Moe Tun of his post and approve the junta’s chosen replacement. The push follows coup leader Min Aung Hlaing’s recent visit to Beijing, where President Xi Jinping pledged support for Myanmar’s “legitimate rights and interests” and endorsed its participation in ASEAN and UN processes.

Pro‑military networks have amplified calls for the ambassador’s removal, while Foreign Minister Tin Maung Swe has pressed UN agencies in Naypyitaw to cooperate with the regime and avoid “interference.” He accused UN Special Envoy Julie Bishop of abusing her position to target Myanmar, warning agencies not to echo her criticism.

Kyaw Moe Tun, appointed under the civilian government, has remained a thorn in the junta’s side. He denounced the coup from the UN podium in February 2021, and has continued to represent Myanmar internationally despite being dismissed, stripped of citizenship and even targeted in an alleged assassination plot in New York.

The regime’s renewed effort comes after years of frustration, as the UN has refused to recognise its staged election or rebranded administration. At a UN meeting on Sunday, Kyaw Moe Tun again urged the international community to invoke the Responsibility to Protect doctrine and called on the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for Min Aung Hlaing.

For the junta, his continued presence at the UN is a source of humiliation. With Beijing’s backing now more explicit, the regime hopes its latest push will succeed where earlier attempts failed. Yet the UN’s stance remains unchanged, leaving Myanmar’s representation caught between the military’s demands and the ambassador’s defiance.

-2026-07-09