Accusations of genocide in Rakhine should not be thrown
around loosely: Kofi Annan
YANGON: Accusations of
genocide taking place in Myanmar's Rakhine state are a very serious charge,
said former UN chief Kofi Annan who is the chairman of the Rakhine Advisory
Commission.
It is a charge which requires
"legal review and judicial determination” and should not be “thrown around
loosely", he cautioned on Tuesday (Dec 6) at a news conference in Yangon
after he and his eight-member commission wrapped up their week-long visit to
Rakhine.
The commission - made up of six
Myanmar nationals and three foreigners - was appointed by the Myanmar
government in August to make recommendations on how to promote reconciliation
and resolve conflicts between Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims.
However, the work of the team
does not include investigating the recent violence in northern Rakhine state,
sparked by the Oct 9 attacks on three security posts along the border.
The Maungdaw district in
Rakhine is under a lockdown as security forces continue their operations to
hunt down the perpetrators.
Mr Annan said the commission
remains "deeply concerned by the reports of alleged human rights
abuses" in Rakhine, adding that the violence underlines the importance and
urgency of the team's task.
Commenting on the military
forces in Rakhine, Mr Annan noted that they have the right to protect the
state. However, he added that security personnel also have the responsibility
to protect the rights of the civilians there.
When asked by Channel NewsAsia
on whether he is concerned that the Rakhine situation could destabilise the
ASEAN region, Mr Annan said he hopes not.
"There is a possibility
here to contain what is going on. It will also require, as we move forward,
cooperation with the neighbours. We need to have an understanding with the
neighbouring countries as to how we manage border control and movement of
people across the border," he said.
TRANSPARENCY IS A
"POWERFUL TOOL": ANNAN
Mr Annan and his team had also
met with the top Myanmar leaders such as State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and
military chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
He called on the Myanmar
government to allow full access not just to humanitarian operations but also to
journalists to Maungdaw district.
Mr Annan said that transparency
"is a powerful tool" and it will help to eliminate some of the
allegations of rape, summary killings, arson and arbitrary arrests.
During his visit, Mr Annan
observed the fear and distrust between the two communities of Rakhine Buddhists
and Rohingya Muslims but he believes that the enmity should not last forever.
He said he met with some youth
groups and was heartened by their willingness to engage, adding that there is a
need to create an environment to allow people from both communities to better
interact and engage with each other.
Mr Annan and his team intend to
submit an interim report to the Myanmar government by February next year. They
have until August 2017 to present their final list of recommendations.