Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan
Southeast Asian foreign ministers urged Myanmar to give a commission of inquiry into the violence in Rakhine state full mandate to hold those who are responsible accountable, Singapore said on Tuesday.
The ministers, who met informally on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly last week, expressed grave concern over the violence, Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told parliament, calling it "man-made humanitarian disaster".
Over the last year, more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Buddhist-majority Myanmar to neighbouring Bangladesh, according to U.N. agencies, following a military response to attacks on security posts by Rohingya insurgents.
U.N. investigators issued a report in late August accusing Myanmar's military of gang rapes and mass killings with "genocidal intent" in Rakhine and called for the country's commander-in-chief and five generals to be prosecuted under international law. Myanmar has denied most of the allegations in the report, blaming Rohingya "terrorists" for most accounts of atrocities.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Myanmar's government to take concrete steps to investigate human rights abuses against Rohingya Muslims and hold accountable members of its security forces and others for any involvement in those actions, a State Department official said on Friday.Pompeo, meeting Myanmar minister Kyaw Tint Swe on Thursday at the U.N. General Assembly gathering in New York, also reiterated U.S. calls for Myanmar to immediately free two jailed Reuters reporters, according to a State Department summary seen by Reuters.The meeting followed the recent release of two U.S. and U.N. reports chronicling atrocities in the military crackdown last year, which sent in which almost 700,000 minority Rohingya Muslims fleeing to neighboring Bangladesh. Canada revokes honorary citizenship of Myanmar leader
US urges Myanmar to hold security forces accountable in Rohingya crackdown
"We expressed our grave concern with these alleged acts of violence... This is a man-made humanitarian disaster and something which should not be happening in this day and age," Balakrishnan said, referring to the meeting of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which includes Myanmar.
"The foreign ministers urged the Myanmar government that...an independent commission of inquiry...should be given a full mandate to investigate and to hold all those responsible fully accountable."
Myanmar established a commission of inquiry to probe allegations of human rights abuses in Rakhine in July which includes two local and two international members from Japan and the Philippines.
The Canadian Parliament voted Thursday to revoke the honorary citizenship of Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi.The move follows a recent Canadian motion to designate the Myanmar military crimes against the Rohingya minority as genocide and to back a UN mission to map out the crimes against humanity committed by the military.In a report, the UNHCR refugee agency said nearly 170,000 people likely fled Myanmar in 2012 alone.Since Aug. 25, 2017, nearly 24,000 Rohingya Muslims have been killed by Myanmar’s state forces, according to the Ontario International Development Agency (OIDA).In a recent report, Forced Migration of Rohingya: The Untold Experience, the OIDA raised the estimated number of murdered Rohingya to 23,962 (± 881) from a Doctors Without Borders figure of 9,400.More than 34,000 Rohingya were also thrown into fires, while over 114,000 others were beaten, the OIDA report said, adding that 17,718 (±780) Rohingya women and girls were raped by Myanmar’s army and police. Over 115,000 Rohingya houses were also burned down and 113,000 others vandalized, it added.According to Amnesty International, more than 750,000 Rohingya refugees, mostly children and women, have fled Myanmar and crossed into Bangladesh after Myanmar forces launched a crackdown on the minority Muslim community.The Rohingya, described by the UN as the world's most persecuted people, have faced heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012.Malaysia calls on UN to act on Rohingya atrocitiesRohingya experienced ‘extreme’ violence in MyanmarThe UN has documented mass gang rapes, killings -- including of infants and young children -- brutal beatings, and disappearances committed by Myanmar state forces. In a report, UN investigators said such violations may have constituted crimes against humanity.Many countries, including Canada, have criticized Suu Kyi for not doing enough to prevent the persecution and bloodshed.Canada has only bestowed a handful of honorary citizenships in its history, including to Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama and to Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai in 2014, bringing the number to six.Suu Kyi, a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, received the Canadian honor in 2007.But her silence as the Rohingya were slaughtered despite urging from Canada and others to speak out provoked Canada to take action.Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was present in the House of Commons when the motion passed, had said Wednesday “Parliament granted her the honorary citizenship” and could certainly revoke it.Turkish aid group offers education to Rohingya childrenTurkish FM discusses Rohingya with counterparts
Canada revokes honorary citizenship of Myanmar leader
ASEAN, formed more than half a century ago, has historically struggled with challenges facing the region because it works only by consensus and is reluctant to get involved in any matter deemed to be internal to any of its members.
Its recent joint statements on Rakhine have focused on the importance of the repatriation of displaced persons to Myanmar and reconciliation among communities.
But amid the international condemnation, it appears to be taking a firmer stance on Rakhine.
Balakrishnan said that if left to "fester", the situation in Rakhine could lead to the spread of terrorism which would threaten "Southeast Asia and beyond".
The United Nations Human Rights Council voted on Thursday in favour of establishing a body to consolidate evidence of human rights abuses in Myanmar, including possible genocide, and prepare files for any future prosecution.The 47-member Council voted by 35 votes to three, with seven abstentions, in favour of a resolution brought by the European Union and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. China, the Philippines and Burundi voted against the move. Rohingya experienced ‘extreme’ violence in MyanmarTurkish aid group offers education to Rohingya childrenTurkish FM discusses Rohingya with counterparts
UN sets up team to prepare Myanmar prosecution files
"They (the Myanmar government) do need to do the right thing...for all the vulnerable, defenceless and innocent victims," said Balakrishnan.
"It is also a salutary warning to all of us in Southeast Asia - race, language and religion are live issues and can always be exploited for short-term political gains but unfair share of the burden and of the injuries are sustained by defenceless people."
Singapore chairs ASEAN this year and its leaders will meet next month in the city-state.
Malaysia called on the United Nations Security Council to establish an international judicial mechanism to try those responsible for crimes against Rohingya and other minorities in Myanmar, local media reported.Kennedy Jawan, Malaysian Foreign Ministry multilateral affairs deputy secretary-general, has voiced his concern to the international community over the atrocities against Rohingya in Myanmar, local daily Malay Mail said in a report.Referring to the international laws, Jawan noted that the Myanmar government has a basic responsibility to act against crimes committed on minorities in the country.“All of us should, therefore, use our leverage to urge Myanmar’s Independent Commission on Enquiry on Rakhine State to bring all perpetrators of gross human rights violations to justice,” said Jawan, quoted in the daily.“To that end, the international community cannot, and should not, stand idle as we witness the human catastrophe which has besieged the Rohingya unfold before our very own eyes,” he added.- Rohingya PersecutionSince Aug. 25, 2017, nearly 24,000 Rohingya Muslims have been killed by Myanmar’s state forces, according to a report by the Ontario International Development Agency (OIDA).More than 34,000 Rohingya were also thrown into fires, while over 114,000 others were beaten, said the OIDA report, entitled "Forced Migration of Rohingya: The Untold Experience".Some 18,000 Rohingya women and girls were raped by Myanmar’s army and police, and over 115,000 Rohingya houses were burned down and 113,000 others vandalized, it added.According to Amnesty International, more than 750,000 Rohingya refugees, mostly children and women, fled Myanmar and crossed into Bangladesh after Myanmar forces launched a crackdown on the minority Muslim community in August 2017.The Rohingya, described by the UN as the world's most persecuted people, have faced heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012.The UN has documented mass gang rapes, killings -- including of infants and young children -- brutal beatings, and disappearances committed by Myanmar state forces. In a report, UN investigators said such violations may have constituted crimes against humanity.Rohingya experienced ‘extreme’ violence in MyanmarTurkish aid group offers education to Rohingya childrenTurkish FM discusses Rohingya with counterparts
Malaysia calls on UN to act on Rohingya atrocities
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Myanmar's government to take concrete steps to investigate human rights abuses against Rohingya Muslims and hold accountable members of its security forces and others for any involvement in those actions, a State Department official said on Friday.Pompeo, meeting Myanmar minister Kyaw Tint Swe on Thursday at the U.N. General Assembly gathering in New York, also reiterated U.S. calls for Myanmar to immediately free two jailed Reuters reporters, according to a State Department summary seen by Reuters.The meeting followed the recent release of two U.S. and U.N. reports chronicling atrocities in the military crackdown last year, which sent in which almost 700,000 minority Rohingya Muslims fleeing to neighboring Bangladesh. Canada revokes honorary citizenship of Myanmar leader US urges Myanmar to hold security forces accountable in Rohingya crackdown