Tillerson calls for credible probe into rights abuses in Myanmar
naypyitaw — US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on Wednesday for a credible investigation into reports of human rights abuses against Rohingya Muslims committed by Myanmar’s security forces after a meeting with it civilian and military leaders.
More than 600,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh since late August, driven out by a military counter-insurgency clearance operation in Buddhist-majority Myanmar’s Rakhine State that a top UN official has described as a textbook case of ‘ethnic cleansing’.
“We’re deeply concerned by credible reports of wide-spread atrocities committed by Myanmar’s security forces and by vigilantes who were unrestrained by the security forces during the recent violence in Rakhine State,” Tillerson told a joint news conference with Aung San Suu Kyi, the head of a civilian administration that is less than two years old and shares power with the military.
“We’re also distressed by the fact that hundreds of thousands, many women and children have been forced to flee to Bangladesh.”
Tillerson called for a credible and impartial investigation and said those who committed abuses should be held responsible.
He earlier held talks with the commander of Myanmar’s armed forces, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
“It is incumbent upon the military and security forces to respect these commitments of the civilian government; to assist the government in implementing them and to ensure the safety and security of all people in Rakhine state,” Tillerson said.
In posting on his Facebook page, Myanmar’s military supremo said he had explained to Tillerson the “true situation in Rakhine”, the reasons why Muslims fled, how the military was working with the government to deliver aid and the progress made for a repatriation process to be agreed with Bangladesh.
The Myanmar army launched its operation in Rakhine after an army base and 30 police posts were attacked on August. 25 by Rohingya militants, killing about a dozen members of the security forces.
Tillerson condemned the attacks on Myanmar security forces.
A senior UN official levelled accusations of mass rape, killings and torture against the Myanmar military after a tour of refugee camps in the Cox’s Bazar region. Human
broad economic sanctions is not something that I’d think would be advisable at this time. We want to see myanmar succeed. you can’t just impose sanctions and say therefore the crisis is over. Rex Tillerson, US Secretary of State
I have not been silent... what people mean is what I say is not interesting enough. What I say is not meant to be exciting, it’s meant to be accurate... not set people against each other. Suu Kyi, de facto Myanmar leader
rights groups have branded as a ‘whitewash’an internal military investigation, after its findings were posted on the army chief’s Facebook page this week.
Back in Washington, US senators are pressing for economic sanctions and travel restrictions targeting the Myanmar military and its business interests. Tillerson said he would advise against any broadbased sanctions against Myanmar, as the United States wanted to see it succeed. —