Myanmar’s government has failed to meet its international obligations: UN

By AFP
19 October 2017
Myanmar’s government has failed to meet its international obligations: UN
This photo taken on October 7, 2017 shows a solar panel on the roof of temporary homes of Rohingya refugees at the Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox's Bazar. Photo: Indranil Mukherjee/AFP

Myanmar's government has failed to meet its international obligations and protect Rohingya Muslims from the atrocities taking place in Rakhine state, two UN special advisers said Wednesday.
The statement from the UN special adviser on the prevention of genocide, Adama Dieng, and the special adviser on the responsibility to protect, Ivan Simonovic, added the international response to the crisis was a failure.
"Despite warnings issued by us and by many other officials, the government of Myanmar has failed to meet its obligations under international law and primary responsibility to protect the Rohingya population from atrocity crimes," said a joint statement with the term ‘atrocity crimes’ referring to three crimes under international law: genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
"The international community has equally failed its responsibilities in this regard," they added.
Since late August more than 500,000 Rohingya have fled an army campaign in Myanmar's Rakhine state that the United Nations has denounced as ethnic cleansing.
The UN Security Council has called on Myanmar to end military operations in Rakhine, grant access to aid workers and allow the safe return of the Rohingya refugees.
Myanmar authorities argue the military operations in Rakhine are to root out terrorists following attacks on police posts in late August.
© AFP