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In this November 22, 2016 photo
supplied by Amnesty
International, Rohingya refugees cross the border into
Bangladesh close to Whaikyang in Cox's Bazar District,
Southeastern
BangladeshAP
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UN: 22,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar to Bangladesh in one week
The exodus of Rohingya from
northern Rakhine began after Myanmar's army launched clearance operations while
searching for insurgents behind deadly raids on police border posts three
months ago
At least 65,000 Rohingya have
fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar, a third of them over the past week, since the
army launched a crackdown in the north of Rakhine state, the UN said Monday.
The figure marks a sharp
escalation in the numbers fleeing a military campaign which rights groups say
has been marred by abuses so severe they could amount to crimes against
humanity.
They also come the same day the
UN’s human rights envoy for Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, began a 12-day visit to probe
violence in the country’s borderlands that will take her to the army-controlled
area.
“Over the past week, 22,000 new
arrivals were reported to have crossed the border from Rakhine state,” the UN’s
relief agency said in its weekly report.
“As of 5 January, an estimated
65,000 people are residing in registered camps, makeshift settlements and host
communities in Cox’s Bazaar” in southern Bangladesh, said the Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The exodus of Rohingya from
northern Rakhine began after Myanmar’s army launched clearance operations while
searching for insurgents behind deadly raids on police border posts three
months ago.
Escapees from the persecuted Muslim
minority in Bangladesh have given harrowing accounts of security forces
committing mass rape, murder and arson.
The stories have cast a pall
over the young government of Aung San Suu Kyi, with mainly Muslim Malaysia
being especially critical.
Myanmar’s government has said
the claims of abuse are fabricated and launched a special commission to
investigate the allegations.
Last week it presented its
interim report denying accusations of “genocide and religious persecution” and
saying there was insufficient evidence that troops had been committing rape.
That judgement came days after
a video emerged showing police beating Rohingya civilians, something the
government said was an isolated incident after the officers were arrested.
On Monday the UN’s Lee began
her own probe with a visit to Kachin state, where thousands have been displaced
by fighting between ethnic rebels and the army.
Lee, who has faced threats and
demonstrations on previous visits over her comments on Myanmar’s treatment of
the Rohingya, is due to visit Rakhine before leaving on January 20.
Hardline Buddhist monk Wirathu
caused outrage when he called her a “whore in our country” for criticising
controversial legislation considered discriminatory to women and minorities.