Genocide may have happened in Rakhine, says UN rights chief

Myanmar trying to destroy evidence of int’l crimes, he states

The chief of the United Nations Human Rights Council suspects that genocide may have taken place in Rakhine against Rohingyas by the Myanmar security forces and local militias.

While presenting the annual report and presenting oral update on activities of the Human Rights Council at its 37th session and recent rights developments in Geneva yesterday, UN human rights commissioner Zeid Raad al-Hussein also accused the Myanmar authorities of deliberately destroy the evidence of international crimes through bulldozing the alleged places of mass graves of Rohingyas.

“The situation of the Rohingya community in Myanmar, and of some 900,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, continue to be of intense concern,” he said. “As the Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights announced this week, following his mission to Bangladesh, my Office believes that ethnic cleansing is still underway in Rakhine State,” added.

While the township of Maungdaw has been essentially emptied of its Rohingya community, people continue to flee to Bangladesh because of systematic – though lower-intensity – persecution and violence in other towns and villages, said the high commissioner.

“Victims have reported killings, rape, torture and abductions by the security forces and local militia, as well as apparently deliberate attempts to force the Rohingya to leave the area through starvation, with officials blocking their access to crops and food supplies,” he said.

“This Council is aware that my Office has strong suspicions that acts of genocide may have taken place in RakhineState since August. I am therefore not surprised by reports that Rohingya villages, which were attacked in recent years, and alleged mass graves of the victims are being bulldozed,” said Zeid.

“This appears to be a deliberate attempt by the authorities to destroy potential evidence of international crimes. I have also received reports of the appropriation of land inhabited by the Rohingyas and their replacement by members of other ethnic groups,” he said.

Mentioning the recent announcement that seven soldiers and three police officers will be brought to justice for the alleged extra-judicial killings of ten Rohingya men is grossly insufficient, the UN human rights chief said, “The (Myanmar) Government must take steps towards real accountability for these violations, and must fully respect the rights of the Rohingya, including to citizenship.”

Genocide may have happened in Rakhine, says UN rights chief

Myanmar trying to destroy evidence of intl crimes, he states

The chief of the United Nations Human Rights Council suspects that genocide may have taken place in Rakhine against Rohingyas by the Myanmar security forces and local militias. While presenting the annual report and presenting oral update on activities of the Human Rights Council at its 37th session and recent rights developments in Geneva yesterday, UN human rights commissioner Zeid Raad al-Hussein also accused the Myanmar authorities of deliberately destroy the evidence of international crimes through bulldozing the alleged places of mass graves of Rohingyas. The situation of the Rohingya community in Myanmar, and of some 900,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, continue to be of intense concern, he said. As the Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights announced this week, following his mission to Bangladesh, my Office believes that ethnic cleansing is still underway in Rakhine State, added. While the township of Maungdaw has been essentially emptied of its Rohingya community, people continue to flee to Bangladesh because of systematic though lower-intensity persecution and violence in other towns and villages, said the high commissioner. Victims have reported killings, rape, torture and abductions by the security forces and local militia, as well as apparently deliberate attempts to force the Rohingya to leave the area through starvation, with officials blocking their access to crops and food supplies, he said. This Council is aware that my Office has strong suspicions that acts of genocide may have taken place in RakhineState since August. I am therefore not surprised by reports that Rohingya villages, which were attacked in recent years, and alleged mass graves of the victims are being bulldozed, said Zeid. This appears to be a deliberate attempt by the authorities to destroy potential evidence of international crimes. I have also received reports of the appropriation of land inhabited by the Rohingyas and their replacement by members of other ethnic groups, he said. Mentioning the recent announcement that seven soldiers and three police officers will be brought to justice for the alleged extra-judicial killings of ten Rohingya men is grossly insufficient, the UN human rights chief said, The (Myanmar) Government must take steps towards real accountability for these violations, and must fully respect the rights of the Rohingya, including to citizenship.