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- UN human rights chief Volker Turk expresses concern over sharp deterioration of situation in Myanmar
Geneva: The United Nations said on Friday it feared a repeat of the 2017 atrocities against the Rohingya minority in Myanmar, warning that a human tragedy was unfolding in Rakhine state.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk expressed grave concern about the dramatic deterioration of the situation across Myanmar, particularly in Rakhine State, where hundreds of civilians have reportedly been killed while trying to flee fighting.
Clashes have been raging in Rakhine state since the insurgent Arakan Army attacked forces of Myanmar’s ruling junta in November, ending a ceasefire that had largely held since the 2021 military coup.
The Arakan Army says it is seeking more autonomy for the state’s ethnic Rakhine population, which is also home to about 600,000 Rohingya Muslim minorities.
Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fled Rakhine state in 2017 as part of a crackdown by Myanmar’s military that has become the focus of a UN genocide tribunal case.
“Thousands of Rohingya have been forced to flee on foot as the Arakan Army continues to push them into areas where they are unable to provide safe haven,” Turk said in a statement.
“As border crossings to Bangladesh remain closed, the Rohingya find themselves trapped between the military and its allies and the Arakan Army, with no way out.”
Bangladesh currently hosts around one million Rohingya refugees.
“This month marks the seventh anniversary of the military operation that forced 700,000 people across the border into Bangladesh. While the world says ‘never again,’ we are once again witnessing killing, destruction and displacement in Rakhine state,” Tuke said.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said it was “unbelievable” that all parties to the armed conflict denied responsibility for attacks on the Rohingya.
The United Nations Human Rights Office said that according to the information it had, both the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army had committed serious human rights violations against the Rohingya.
These included extrajudicial executions, some involving beheadings; abductions; forced recruitment; indiscriminate bombings of towns and villages; and arson attacks.
“Both the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army bear direct responsibility for the human tragedy unfolding in Rakhine State,” Turk said.
“These atrocities demand a clear response from us: those who commit them must be held accountable, and justice must be pursued relentlessly.
“It is our moral responsibility and legal imperative to prevent the crimes and horrors of the past from happening again.”
Turk called on both sides to stop attacks on civilians and urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to take all necessary measures to protect the Rohingya.
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