UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Britain circulated a wide-ranging United Nations resolution on Myanmar urging renewed peace efforts, condemning attacks on civilians — especially by the Myanmar military — and calling for a halt to illicit arms transfers.
The draft resolution obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press expresses “alarm at the increased violence across Myanmar,” which is engulfed in civil war between the military-led regime and resistance forces.
It calls for “safe, rapid, and unhindered humanitarian access at scale," expressing “grave concern” at the deteriorating humanitarian situation and restrictions on humanitarian access in the country that led to rising food insecurity and hunger.
The proposed resolution warns that the current situation has the potential to further exacerbate discrimination, ethnically motivated violence, violations of international humanitarian law, human rights abuses, and conflict-related sexual violence.
Myanmar’s military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, 2021. It was the day Parliament was to reconvene following November 2020 elections, which her National League for Democracy party won overwhelmingly — an outcome the military claims without evidence was based on fraud. Suu Kyi and party members remain under arrest.
The takeover was met with massive public opposition, which has since turned into armed resistance and civil war.
The military regime now faces its greatest challenge from the ethnic minority militias and people’s defense forces who support the main opposition and have captured wide swaths of territory in fierce fighting in recent months.
The draft resolution stresses the central role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the 10-country bloc whose 2021 peace plan has so far been rejected by Myanmar’s generals. It calls for an immediate end to the violence and dialogue among contending parties brokered through an ASEAN envoy.
The draft resolution urges renewed efforts by the ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar, Alounkeo Kittikhoun, and new U.N. special envoy, Julie Bishop, “to engage all relevant stakeholders to seek a peaceful, inclusive solution to the crisis in Myanmar.”
Security Council negotiations on the draft resolution are expected to be tough.
The 15-member council approved its first-ever resolution on Myanmar in December 2022 by a vote of 12-0 with three abstentions — Russia, China and India, who all have ties to the Myanmar regime. India’s two-year term on the council ended that month, but Russia and China are veto-wielding permanent members of the council.
The proposed draft demands full implementation of the December 2022 resolution, which demanded an immediate end to violence in the Southeast Asian nation and urged its military rulers to release all “arbitrarily detained” prisoners, including Suu Kyi, and to restore democratic institutions.
It also called for the country’s opposing parties to pursue dialogue and reconciliation and urged all sides “to respect human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law.”
FILE - Protesters run after police shot warning shots and used water cannon to disperse them during a protest in Mandalay, Myanmar, Feb. 9, 2021. (AP Photo, File)
WINDER, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia county's emergency call center was overwhelmed by calls on Sept. 4 about a school shooting at Apalachee High School, records released Friday by Barrow County show.
Local news organizations report many of the 911 phone calls were not released under public record requests because state law exempts from release calls recording the voice of someone younger than 18 years old. That exemption would cover calls from most of the 1,900 students at the school in Winder, northeast of Atlanta.
Calls spiked around 10:20 a.m., when authorities have said that 14-year-old Colt Gray began shooting. Many calls were answered with automated message saying there was a “high call volume," WAGA-TV reported.
One man called 911 after receiving text messages from a girlfriend. He was put on hold for just over 10 minutes because of an influx of calls at the time of the shooting, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
“She hears people yelling outside, so I don’t know if that’s officers in the building or that’s — I don’t know,” he said, adding that she was eventually evacuated out of the school.
Other adults also called 911 after their children contacted them.
“My daughter calling me crying. Somebody go ‘boom, boom, boom, boom,’ ” one mother said. The 911 operator responded: “Ma’am we have officers out there, OK?”
Parents of students at an elementary school and middle school neighboring Apalachee also flooded 911 seeking information.
“Sir, my daughter goes to school next door to Apalachee. Is there a school shooter?" one caller asked.
“We do have an active situation (at) Apalachee High School right now," the operator responded. "We have a lot of calls coming in.”
More than 500 radio messages between emergency personnel were also released Friday.
“Active shooter!” an officer yells in one audio clip while speaking with a dispatcher, CNN reported. Another officer responds, “Correct. We have an active shooter at Apalachee High School.”
The shooting killed teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, as well as students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14. Another teacher and eight more students were wounded, with seven of those hit by gunfire.
Colt Gray is charged as an adult with four counts of murder, and District Attorney Brad Smith has said more charges are likely to be filed against him in connection with the wounded. Authorities have also charged his father, Colin Gray, alleging that he gave his son access to the gun when he knew or should have known that the teen was a danger to himself and others.
The 13,000 students at Barrow County’s other schools returned to class Tuesday. The 1,900 students who attend Apalachee are supposed to start returning the week of Sept. 23, officials said Friday.
Mourners listen to a speaker during a candlelight vigil for the slain students and teachers at Apalachee High School, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
A memorial is seen at Apalachee High School after the Wednesday school shooting, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
This combo of images show shooting victims, from left, Christian Angulo, Mason Schermerhorn, Cristina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall, displayed at a memorial outside Apalachee High School, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Charlotte Kramon)
Two students view a memorial as the flags fly half-staff after a shooting Wednesday at Apalachee High School, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
911 calls overwhelmed operators after shooting at Georgia's Apalachee High School
911 calls overwhelmed operators after shooting at Georgia's Apalachee High School
Students and parents walk off campus at Apalachee High School, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. A shooting at the Georgia high school Wednesday caused an unknown number of injuries and a suspect was arrested in a chaotic scene. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
