End violence in Rakhine now
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) members have called on Myanmar to put an immediate end to violence in Rakhine state and create conditions conducive for Rohingya repatriation from Bangladesh.
The UNSC members including the USA, the UK and France stressed on holding those accountable who are behind the violation of international law in Myanmar.
They also urged Myanmar to cooperate with all international justice mechanism including the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar.
The call came at a UNSC consultation on Myanmar attended by Belgium, the Dominican Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Tunisia, UK and USA on September 11.
UN Special Envoy for Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, and Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Director of the UNDP Kanni Wignaraja briefed on the latest situation on Myanmar.
Since some 750,000 Rohingyas fled a brutal military crackdown against the Rohingyas in Rakhine three years ago, not a single Rohingya returned as the situation in Rakhine state has not been safe and conducive for repatriation, despite agreements Myanmar signed with Bangladesh and UN agencies.
The UNSC so far could not take any concrete steps mainly because of opposition from veto powers China and Russia. Myanmar now faces a genocide case filed by the Gambia with the International Court of Justice.
The Court in February this year ordered provisional measures to prevent acts of genocide in Rakhine.
The International Criminal Court is also investigating the forced displacement of Rohingyas from Bangladesh to Myanmar.
Early last week, two former Myanmar soldiers confessed that they were involved in killing and burning Rohingya villages on orders from the high commands in Rakhine.
Meanwhile, rights groups said the situation in Rakhine state has deteriorated amid escalation of fighting between the Arakan Army in Rakhine and Kachin states, frustrating the hope of Rohingya repatriation anytime soon.
Comments