LONDON: Saudi Arabia said it is following the suffering of the Rohingya Muslim minority and other minorities in Myanmar with “great concern.” The comments were made during a UN Human Rights Council meeting with UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar Tom Andrews. “The situation of the Rohingya minority is one of the most important issues that the Kingdom pays great attention to,”
Statement by Thomas H. Andrews UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar United Nations Human Rights Council
Format
Madam President, Distinguished members of the United Nations Human Rights Council,
One month ago, I addressed this body in a special session on the crisis in Myanmar. At that time, ten days after the illegal military coup d’état had begun, I reported that the junta had murdered one individual and arbitrarily detained over 200. In the written report that I filed last week, I documented a total of 23 murders. Credible reports indicate that, as of today, Myanmar security forces have murdered at least 70 people.
The UN special rapporteur for Myanmar slammed the country’s military for the killing of at least 70 people since protests erupted against its power grab in February, citing growing evidence of crimes against humanity – including murder, persecution and torture.
Talking about “a horrible truth”, human rights investigator Thomas Andrews told the UN Human Rights Council on Thursday that “the country of Myanmar is being controlled by a murderous, illegal regime”.
More than half of those killed were under age 25, Andrews said, adding more than 2,000 people have been unlawfully detained since the coup and violence is steadily increasing.
“There is extensive video evidence of security forces viciously beating protesters, medics, and bystanders. There is video of soldiers and police systematically moving through neighbourhoods, destroying property, looting shops, arbitrarily arresting protesters and passersby, and firing indiscriminately into people’s homes,” he said.
Myanmar military likely behind crimes against humanity : UN expert france24.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from france24.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.