The stark warning from the United Nations that continuing violations against Myanmar’s Muslim Rohingyas could amount to crimes against humanity is the severest criticism yet of the government in Myanmar. Rohingyas have been the victims of human rights violations for years committed by the majority Buddhist community with the silent support of their government. They have been the victims of riots orchestrated by Buddhists, the deadliest of which happened in 2012, and are now living in squalid camps without any rights. International calls for doing justice to Rohingyas, including from US, have fallen on deaf ears as the government in Myanmar is afraid to do anything for this persecuted minority for fear of inviting the wrath of the majority Buddhists. At the same time, the international community, including the UN, has failed miserably to make the Myanmar government see reason. The reason for the cold and arrogant response from Myanmar is the immunity which governments enjoy, while governments in other countries caught committing similar injustices are punished with sanctions and other actions.
In a report on the human rights situation for minorities in Myanmar, the UN human rights office said it had found “a pattern of gross violations against the Rohingya... (which) suggest a widespread or systematic attack... in turn giving rise to the possible commission of crimes against humanity if established in a court of law.” The report also criticises the new government steered by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and her pro-democracy party. There were huge expectations that Suu Kyi, after assuming power, will work to improve the plight of Rohingyas, but she has refused to act. The report lists a number of violations committed against the minorities, which include summary executions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detention, torture and ill-treatment. The report says the new government has “inherited a situation where laws and policies are in place that are designed to deny fundamental rights to minorities, and where impunity for serious violations against such communities has encouraged further violence against them.”
The UN report must serve as a warning to UN itself and the international community to stop ignoring the condition of Rohingyas. The UN must consider imposing sanctions on Myanmar and the case must be brought before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Suu Kyi, who is respected internationally for her fight for peace and freedom, must also face criticism for her refusal to intervene to stop the abuses against Muslims. She even refuses to use the term ‘Rohingyas’ to describe the persecuted Muslims saying it’s an inflammatory word that will only “makes things worse.”
The stark warning from the United Nations that continuing violations against Myanmar’s Muslim Rohingyas could amount to crimes against humanity is the severest criticism yet of the government in Myanmar. Rohingyas have been the victims of human rights violations for years committed by the majority Buddhist community with the silent support of their government. They have been the victims of riots orchestrated by Buddhists, the deadliest of which happened in 2012, and are now living in squalid camps without any rights. International calls for doing justice to Rohingyas, including from US, have fallen on deaf ears as the government in Myanmar is afraid to do anything for this persecuted minority for fear of inviting the wrath of the majority Buddhists. At the same time, the international community, including the UN, has failed miserably to make the Myanmar government see reason. The reason for the cold and arrogant response from Myanmar is the immunity which governments enjoy, while governments in other countries caught committing similar injustices are punished with sanctions and other actions.
In a report on the human rights situation for minorities in Myanmar, the UN human rights office said it had found “a pattern of gross violations against the Rohingya... (which) suggest a widespread or systematic attack... in turn giving rise to the possible commission of crimes against humanity if established in a court of law.” The report also criticises the new government steered by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and her pro-democracy party. There were huge expectations that Suu Kyi, after assuming power, will work to improve the plight of Rohingyas, but she has refused to act. The report lists a number of violations committed against the minorities, which include summary executions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detention, torture and ill-treatment. The report says the new government has “inherited a situation where laws and policies are in place that are designed to deny fundamental rights to minorities, and where impunity for serious violations against such communities has encouraged further violence against them.”
The UN report must serve as a warning to UN itself and the international community to stop ignoring the condition of Rohingyas. The UN must consider imposing sanctions on Myanmar and the case must be brought before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Suu Kyi, who is respected internationally for her fight for peace and freedom, must also face criticism for her refusal to intervene to stop the abuses against Muslims. She even refuses to use the term ‘Rohingyas’ to describe the persecuted Muslims saying it’s an inflammatory word that will only “makes things worse.”
