Star Report
Myanmar military investigation into alleged atrocities
against Rohingyas is a “whitewash”, says rights group Amnesty International,
calling for UN and independent investigators to be allowed into the country.
“Once again, Myanmar's military is trying to sweep
serious violations against the Rohingya under the carpet," said James
Gomez, Amnesty International's Regional Director for Southeast Asia and the
Pacific in a statement yesterday.
More than 600,000 Rohingyas have fled to Bangladesh since
late August, driven out by a counter-insurgency clearance operation in Rakhine
State that a top UN official has called a classic case of “ethnic cleansing”.
Accusations of organised mass rape and other crimes
against humanity were leveled at the Myanmar military on Sunday by another
senior UN official, who had toured camps in Bangladesh where Rohingya refugees
have taken shelter.
Myanmar's military has consistently claimed its
innocence, and on Monday it posted the findings of an internal investigation on
the Facebook page of its commander in chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
It said it had found no instances where its soldiers had
shot and killed Rohingya villagers, raped women or tortured prisoners. It
denied that security forces had torched Rohingya villages or used “excessive
force”.
AI, on the other hand, said with more than 600,000 women,
men and children having fled Rakhine State in recent months fearing for their
lives, there is overwhelming evidence that the military has murdered and raped
Rohingya and burned their villages to the ground.
"After recording countless stories of horror and
using satellite analysis to track the growing devastation we can only reach one
conclusion: these attacks amount to crimes against humanity," James
Gomez said.
“The Myanmar military has made clear it has no intention
of ensuring accountability; it's now up to the international community to step
up to ensure these appalling abuses do not go unpunished.
The full extent of the violations against the Rohingya
and other ethnic minorities will not be known until the UN Fact-Finding Mission
and other independent observers are given unfettered access to Myanmar, and in
particular Rakhine State,” he said.
Meanwhile, on Friday, the commanding officer in Rakhine
State, Major General Maung Maung Soe was replaced. No reason for his transfer
was given, but a senior officer with the military's media department told
Reuters, Maung Maung Soe had no new assignment, and had been placed on a
reserve list, Reuters reports.
A spokeswoman for the US State Department, Katina Adams,
said the United States was aware of reports of the general's replacement.
“We remain gravely concerned by continuing reports of
violence and human rights abuses committed by Burmese security forces and
vigilantes. Those responsible for abuses must be held accountable,” Adams said.
INTERNAL PROBE
According to Reuters, the Myanmar military's internal
probe said that according to 2,817 people interviewed from 54 Rohingya
villages, the soldiers did not fire on "innocent villagers", rape or
commit sexual violence against women.
Also read:
Recently issued internal probe of Myanmar: https://lnkd.in/g82GWzm
Myanmar army investigation a 'whitewash' says
Amnesty International @amnesty https://lnkd.in/gQP9Asa
The report also concluded that security forces only used
light arms in clashes with Rohingya militants and there were no findings to
suggest the use of "excessive force".
It also blamed the militants for setting fire to the
villages and frightening and coercing people to leave their homes.
Suu Kyi has said that any alleged atrocities should be
substantiated and investigated, while her government is working to stabilise
Rakhine in order for the Rohingyas to return.
Myanmar, however, is refusing entry to a UN panel that
was tasked with investigating allegations of abuses after a smaller military
counteroffensive launched in October 2016.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to visit
Myanmar today
The military's self-exoneration came as US Secretary of
State Rex Tillerson prepared to visit Myanmar today for talks with leaders.
Also read: Tillerson calls for credible probe
into rights abuses in Myanmar https://reut.rs/2AMMh7o
Both Tillerson and Aung San Suu Kyi, the head of a less
than two-year-old civilian administration that has no control over the
military, are attending a regional summit in Manila.
With US senators back in Washington pressing to impose
economic sanctions and travel restrictions targeting the military and its
business interests, Tillerson is expected to deliver a stern message to
Myanmar's generals, while supporting the transition to democracy.
Suu Kyi discussed the Rohingya crisis with UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the Southeast Asian leaders' summit in
Manila.
“The secretary-general highlighted that strengthened
efforts to ensure humanitarian access, safe, dignified, voluntary and sustained
returns, as well as true reconciliation between communities, would be
essential,” a UN representative said in brief note on the meeting.
MAY CALLS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
British Prime Minister Theresa May said in foreign policy
address on Monday that Myanmar's military should be called to account.
“This is a major humanitarian crisis which looks like
ethnic cleansing,” she said in a speech delivered at the Lord Mayor's Banquet
in the City of London.
“And it is something for which the Burmese authorities -
and especially the military - must take full responsibility.”
As new accounts emerged of atrocities in Rakhine state,
where government forces claim to be targeting "terrorists," Downing
Street called on Myanmar's government to permit access for aid agencies,
reports CNN.
UN CHIEF VOICES CONCERN
Addressing the ninth Association of South East Asian
Nations (ASEAN)-United Nations Summit in Manila on Monday, Secretary-General
António Guterres voiced deep concern over the displacement of hundreds of
thousands of refugees from Myanmar to Bangladesh.
Voice of UN Chief listens here: https://lnkd.in/g8aKDwb
“I cannot hide my deep concern with the dramatic movement
of hundreds of thousands of refugees from Myanmar to Bangladesh. It is a worrying escalation in a protracted
tragedy and a potential source of instability in the region, and
radicalisation,” he said.
Since the beginning of the crisis, and beyond the end of
violence, the UN chief reiterated his call for unhindered humanitarian access
to affected communities; and the right to safe, voluntary and dignified return
of those who fled, to their places of origin.
The United Nations welcomes constructive approaches by
ASEAN, including the provision of humanitarian aid to northern Rakhine.
Speaking in Dhaka on Sunday, Pramila Patten, the UN
special representative of the secretary-general on sexual violence in conflict,
said she would raise accusations against the Myanmar military with the
International Criminal Court in Hague.
“Sexual violence is being commanded, orchestrated and
perpetrated by the armed forces of Myanmar,” she said following a three-day
tour of the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar.
