Government has
refused to allow international fact-finding mission
YUJI NITTA, Nikkei
staff writer
YANGON -- Myanmar's
attempts to disrupt an investigation into human rights abuses against the
country's Rohingya Muslim minority are "unacceptable," the United
Nations' special rapporteur on the matter said Friday.
Yanghee Lee spoke to
media here about her recent 12-day tour of the country. She reported being
asked to give assurances that she would not undertake any activity related to a
planned U.N. fact-finding mission during the trip. The government has refused
to issue visas to participants in that effort.
"The general
situation for the Rohingya has hardly improved since my last visit in January,
and has become further complicated in the north of Rakhine," she said,
referring to a western state with a large Rohingya population. In addition to
alleged abuses by Myanmar security forces, there "appear to be incidents
of Rohingya being targeted by unknown assailants for applying to be verified as
a citizen," she reported. All this speaks to why an independent,
international body should be given leeway to develop a full picture of the
situation, she said.
Lee spoke of being
denied access to certain areas, as well as of government attempts to disrupt
her work. "Individuals who meet with me continue to face intimidation,
including being photographed, questioned before and after meetings and in one
case even followed," she said. "This is unacceptable."
"I am
disappointed to see the tactics applied by the previous government still being
used," she said.
Lee's visit focused
on the intersection of "business and human rights," particularly in
Myanmar's special economic zones of Kyaukphyu, Dawei and Thilawa. She spoke to
civilians including farmers and fisherman affected by development of the zones
and other large industrial projects, including an oil pipeline beginning on
Madei Island in Rakhine state.
"These
communities relayed experiences of land confiscation with little or no
consultation or compensation, with efforts to seek redress often gone
unanswered," Lee said. "Similar stories were to be repeated during my
visits to other areas, showing this to be a truly nationwide problem."
Lee has visited
Myanmar six times since 2014, when she was appointed by the U.N. Human Rights
Council as special rapporteur.