Activists urge UN to investigate Myanmar’s special envoy for alleged links to China

By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) – The Justice for Myanmar activist group is urging the UN to investigate Myanmar Special Envoy Julie Bishop for alleged conflicts of interest due to her ties with Chinese state-owned companies linked to Myanmar’s military junta.

“Justice For Myanmar calls on the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres to open an investigation into conflicts of interest over Julie Bishop’s business activities,” the group said in a statement Sunday.

The statement highlighted Bishop’s role as a Strategic Advisor for Energy Transition Minerals (ETM), which is involved in a controversial uranium and rare earths mining project in Greenland linked to Chinese state-owned firms operating in Myanmar. Her role in the company is reportedly to advise the board “to advance the Kvanefjeld Project towards development, in parallel with the ongoing legal process.”

The group said the project partners with two Chinese state-owned companies -- Shenghe Resources and China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) -- both of which the activist group accused of having links with Myanmar’s military.

It argued that her involvement “raises serious questions about her ethical conduct and ability to effectively carry out her mission.”

Justice for Myanmar spokeswoman Yadanar Maung highlighted that China is “one of the Myanmar military’s biggest arms suppliers and also provides the military with major sources of revenue, including from the mining sector,” adding that “through its supply of arms and funds to the Myanmar military, the Chinese government is aiding and abetting ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

The group also alleged that Bishop is a registered lobbyist for Twinza Oil Limited, which has been linked to Myanmar controversies, and has ties to Australian mining company Mineral Resources (MinRes), which is reportedly connected to the Chinese state-owned China Baowu Steel Group, accused of funding the military junta.

“Julie Bishop’s links to numerous companies, including those owned by the Chinese state with interests in Myanmar, create unacceptable conflicts of interest that must be fully investigated,” said Maung. “We urge the United Nations Secretary General to urgently open an investigation into Julie Bishop’s business activities, consider the appropriateness of her continued UN engagement, and disclose the findings.”​​​​​​​​​​​​​​