Myanmar’s UN ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun says he will not be cowed by an assassination plot against him and that he will continue resisting efforts by the military leadership back home to take his seat at UN headquarters in New York.
In an exclusive interview with The National, Kyaw Moe Tun, the UN envoy for Myanmar’s ousted civilian government, said he is “safe” thanks to round-the-clock security from US guards and that the fight for people power in Myanmar continues.
“We are resolute,” Kyaw Moe Tun said, adding he would fight until the military regime is brought down.
Since seizing power in a February 1 coup, the military has repeatedly tried to replace Kyaw Moe Tun with a loyalist. The envoy said he will not step down and urged the UN’s credentials committee to take his side when it meets next month.
“This seat is important for the people of Myanmar,” he said.
“Through this seat, I can convey the messages of the people of Myanmar and I can inform the desire of the people of Myanmar to the international community.”
Kyaw Moe Tun predicts a showdown in the coming weeks over whether he can remain as Myanmar's ambassador or whether the country's military leaders will be allowed to replace him with a hand-picked envoy.
Rival claims to UN representation are considered by a nine-member credentials committee that reports to the 193-nation General Assembly. The panel is set to meet in September before leaders travel to Manhattan for the UN’s annual high-level week.
Kyaw Moe Tun said he is “confident” that members will “listen to the voices of the people of Myanmar”.
He spoke with The National while under 24-hour US protection after investigators uncovered a plot involving at least two citizens of Myanmar to intimidate and even assassinate him if he refused to resign from his post.
Phyo Hein Htut, 28, and Ye Hein Zaw, 20, face up to five years in prison. Myanmar's military have denied any involvement in the conspiracy.
Prosecutors say Phyo Hein Htut had been in touch with an arms dealer in Thailand linked to Myanmar’s military. The plot reportedly involved hiring assailants and sabotaging the ambassador’s car to force it to crash.
Kyaw Moe Tun has cut back on his public activities, but was upbeat about his safety thanks to “very swift action” by US law enforcement. Members of his extended family back home were in a “safe place” he added, without elaborating.
Phyo Hein Htut had occasionally served as a volunteer security guard at Myanmar’s mission to the UN, he added.
The ambassador spoke with The National against a backdrop of chaos in Myanmar, which was upended when the military ousted an elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, with regular protests and fighting between the army and newly formed militias.
The US, Britain and others have slapped sanctions on Myanmar's military rulers over the coup and the repression of pro-democracy protests. More than 900 people have been killed and thousands arrested in the crackdown, a local monitoring group has reported.
The US on Tuesday said it would give Myanmar more than $50 million in aid to fight surging Covid-19 infections. After six months of turmoil, Myanmar's economy has collapsed and its health system has buckled against the fast-spreading pathogen.
For Kyaw Moe Tun, the South-East Asian nation has see-sawed between military and democratic civilian rule in recent turbulent decades, but the long-term trend is bending in favour of people power, he said.
Pro-democracy activists have thanked the West for its support to date, but want further action including the setting up no-fly zones to ground the military’s aircraft, enacting arms embargoes, as well as placing tougher sanctions on military chiefs.
“What we see is not enough,” Kyaw Moe Tun said.
“We need stronger and decisive action from the international community to stop the violence".
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What is an FTO Designation?
FTO designations impose immigration restrictions on members of the organisation simply by virtue of their membership and triggers a criminal prohibition on knowingly providing material support or resources to the designated organisation as well as asset freezes.
It is a crime for a person in the United States or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to knowingly provide “material support or resources” to or receive military-type training from or on behalf of a designated FTO.
Representatives and members of a designated FTO, if they are aliens, are inadmissible to and, in certain circumstances removable from, the United States.
Except as authorised by the Secretary of the Treasury, any US financial institution that becomes aware that it has possession of or control over funds in which an FTO or its agent has an interest must retain possession of or control over the funds and report the funds to the Treasury Department.
Source: US Department of State
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
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Brief scores:
Manchester City 3
Aguero 1', 44', 61'
Arsenal 1
Koscielny 11'
Man of the match: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
