Implement Annan Commission recommendations

US urges Myanmar

The US has urged the Myanmar government to fulfill its commitment to work with UNHCR and UNDP to implement the recommendations of the Kofi Annan-led Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, reports UNB. "We welcome the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by UNHCR, UNDP, and the Myanmar government to support the creation of conditions conducive to the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees to Burma, whether to their places of origin or of their choosing," said Heather Nauert, US Department of State Spokesperson on Thursday.

Nauert said this is a positive step and they see this MoU as a confidence-building measure that, if effectively implemented, could allow much-needed humanitarian assistance to reach all the affected communities and assist Myanmar in creating the necessary conditions for voluntary return and to support recovery and resilience-based development for the benefit of all communities living in Rakhine State.

According to HRW, since late August 2017, more than 671,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Burma’s Rakhine State to escape the military’s large-scale campaign of ethnic cleansing. The atrocities committed by Burmese security forces, including mass killings, sexual violence, and widespread arson, amount to crimes against humanity. Military and civilian officials have repeatedly denied that security forces committed abuses during the operations, claims which are contradicted by extensive evidence and witness accounts.

The Rohingya have faced decades of discrimination and

repression under successive Burmese governments. Effectively denied citizenship under the 1982 Citizenship Law, they are one of the largest stateless populations in the world. Restrictions on movement and lack of access to basic health care have led to dire humanitarian conditions for those displaced by earlier waves of violence in 2012 and 2016.

Implement Annan Commission recommendations

US urges Myanmar

The US has urged the Myanmar government to fulfill its commitment to work with UNHCR and UNDP to implement the recommendations of the Kofi Annan-led Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, reports UNB. We welcome the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by UNHCR, UNDP, and the Myanmar government to support the creation of conditions conducive to the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees to Burma, whether to their places of origin or of their choosing, said Heather Nauert, US Department of State Spokesperson on Thursday. Nauert said this is a positive step and they see this MoU as a confidence-building measure that, if effectively implemented, could allow much-needed humanitarian assistance to reach all the affected communities and assist Myanmar in creating the necessary conditions for voluntary return and to support recovery and resilience-based development for the benefit of all communities living in Rakhine State. According to HRW, since late August 2017, more than 671,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Burmas Rakhine State to escape the militarys large-scale campaign of ethnic cleansing. The atrocities committed by Burmese security forces, including mass killings, sexual violence, and widespread arson, amount to crimes against humanity. Military and civilian officials have repeatedly denied that security forces committed abuses during the operations, claims which are contradicted by extensive evidence and witness accounts. The Rohingya have faced decades of discrimination and repression under successive Burmese governments. Effectively denied citizenship under the 1982 Citizenship Law, they are one of the largest stateless populations in the world. Restrictions on movement and lack of access to basic health care have led to dire humanitarian conditions for those displaced by earlier waves of violence in 2012 and 2016.