Actor Cate Blanchett speaks during a United Nations Security Council meeting about Myanmar at United Nations Headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S
UN Refugee Agency goodwill ambassador Australian actress Cate Blanchett on Tuesday urged the UN Security Council not to fail Rohingya "again" as the minority Muslims have been enduring violence for a year.
"I have heard the gut-wrenching accounts. Stories of grave torture, of women brutally violated, people who have had their loved ones killed before their eyes. Children who have seen their grandparents locked in houses that were set alight," said Blanchett.
Her remarks came during her address to the UN Security Council in New York on the situation in Myanmar and the Rohingya refugee crisis.
"I am a mother, and I saw my children in the eyes of every single refugee child I met. I saw myself in every parent. How can any mother endure seeing her child thrown into a fire?
"Their experiences will never leave me," she said.
In her remarks, she said the focus of the Council's member states must be to provide much-needed support inside Bangladesh while working to ensure conditions in Myanmar are conducive to return.
She said from her accounts with many Rohingya refugees she talked to, the minority Muslims view Myanmar as their home and cited their fears about returning there.
"The Rohingya cannot return to the very conditions they were forced to flee," she said.
"We have failed the Rohingya before. Please, let us not fail them again," she concluded.
On Aug. 25, 2017, Myanmar launched a major military crackdown on the Muslim ethnic minority, killing almost 24,000 civilians and forcing 750,000 others including women and children to flee to Bangladesh, according to the Ontario International Development Agency (OIDA).
The UN has documented mass gang rapes, killings -- including of infants and young children -- brutal beatings and disappearances committed by Myanmar state forces and has described the Rohingya as the “world's most persecuted people”.
More than 200 Rohingya are waiting near the southern border of Bangladesh to enter the country in search for safe shelter in the face of an alleged fresh crackdown by Myanmar military, local media reported on Tuesday.Lt. Col. Asaduzzaman Chowdhury, director of Border Guards of Bangladesh (BGB) Battalion-II, told the Daily Star they came to know last Thursday that over 200 Rohingya people were waiting near Shah Porir Dwip in Teknaf.The border guarding force of Bangladesh has already strengthened its monitoring on the area, the report added.Apart from BGB, the Coast Guard members were patrolling the Naf River, the only border sharing river between Bangladesh and Myanmar, to avoid any influx.Abdul Motaleb Mater, a Rohingya community leader at Leda refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, told the daily that he learned from his family members and other contacts in Myanmar that many Rohingya from several villages have gathered on the eastern side of the Naf river.They have gathered there in search for safe shelter as Myanmar army has started another crackdown on Thursday, he said.- BackgroundSince Aug. 25, 2017, more than 24,000 Rohingya Muslims have been killed by Myanmar’s state forces, according to the Ontario International Development Agency (OIDA).In a recent report, titled 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.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.
Over 200 Rohingya wait to enter Bangladesh: Report
Turkey on Monday urged the Myanmar government to take steps to end crimes against Rohingya Muslims.The Foreign Ministry said on its website that the humanitarian crisis started after the Aug. 25, 2017 attacks in the north of Myanmar's Rakhine State against Rohingya Muslims.On Aug. 25, 2017, Myanmar launched a major military crackdown on the Muslim ethnic minority, killing almost 24,000 civilians and forcing 750,000 others to flee to Bangladesh, according to the Ontario International Development Agency (OIDA).In the statement, the ministry said the Rohingya faced human rights violations which correspond to heaviest crimes as part of the international law.The Foreign Ministry called on the Myanmar government to take steps to find a permanent solution to the problem by cooperating with the international community; it also urged Myanmar to ensure the return of the displaced Rohingya in a safe, honorable and permanent way.Turkey has from the start made great efforts on the Rohingya, prompting the international community to show necessary sensitiveness to the crisis.The ministry added Turkey will continue to voice the humanitarian crisis affecting the Rohingya and it would also support efforts for a permanent solution with dialogue between Myanmar and Bangladeshi governments.Earlier on Monday, the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar, released a report and said human rights violations and abuses committed in Kachin, Rakhine and Shan States need to be probed at the International Criminal Court. It also called for an investigation and prosecution of Myanmar's top military officials for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes against Rohingya Muslims."Military necessity would never justify killing indiscriminately, gang raping women, assaulting children, and burning entire villages.The Tatmadaw’s [Myanmar's armed forces] tactics are consistently and grossly disproportionate to actual security threats, especially in Rakhine State, but also in northern Myanmar," the report reads.The report added that crimes against humanity committed on Rohingya Muslims include murder, rape, sexual slavery and other forms of sexual violence."The crimes in Rakhine State, and the manner in which they were perpetrated, are similar in nature, gravity and scope to those that have allowed genocidal intent to be established in other contexts," the report said.More than 24,000 Rohingya Muslims have been killed by Myanmar’s state forces, according to the Ontario International Development Agency (OIDA).In its recent report, Forced Migration of Rohingya: The Untold Experience, the OIDA increased the estimated number of murdered Rohingya to 23,962 (±881) from an earlier 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 the Myanmar army and police. More than 115,000 Rohingya houses were burned and 113,000 others were vandalized, it added.Bangladesh: 87 pct Rohingya unwilling to go to islandMyanmar generals had 'genocidal intent' against Rohingya, must face justice: UNRohingya in US mark first year of Rakhine massacreOne year since exodus, Rohingya in Bangladesh on the edgeRohingya languish as repatriation process linger
Turkey reiterates support for Rohingya Muslims
At least 87 percent of Rohingya refugees residing in makeshift camps in southern Bangladesh are unwilling to be relocated to a remote island on the Bay of Bengal, local media said on Monday citing a police report.The report is based on a survey conducted by Cox’s Bazar district’s special branch of police, according to the New Age, a local daily.Cox's Bazar has been hosting around a million refugees, including more than 750,000 people who came to Bangladesh following violence in the Rakhine state of western Myanmar last year.EU executive to hold meeting this week on UN Myanmar reportEarlier, the Bangladeshi government had announced its plan to relocate the Rohingya refugees to Bhasanchar Island until their repatriation.Citing the report, the daily noted Rohingya mentioned isolation of the location, fear of relief and medication facilities being hampered and isolation from their relatives among 10 causes for their unwillingness to go the island.“The government will take representatives of all concern authorities, including Rohingya representatives, members of local and international NGOs and rights bodies to Bhasanchar Island before relocation to inspect the actual conditions there,” Muhammad Habibul Kabir Chowdhury, head of Refugee Affairs at Disaster Management And Relief Ministry, told Anadolu Agency.Facebook removes top Myanmar military official, others from website“The relocation will not be implemented until the government is confirmed of providing better facilities than Ukhiya and Tekhnaf refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar,” he added referring the current refugee camps in the city. Noting that Bangladesh is facing an environmental crisis, Chowdhury said that hills, forests are chopped down, and local people are facing over-populated problems as a result of the Rohingya influx.Echoing the same views, Commissioner of Bangladesh Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission (RRRC) Mohammad Abul Kalam said: “The government will implement the relocation process considering all related issues and humanitarian crisis of Rohingya people.”Myanmar generals had 'genocidal intent' against Rohingya, must face justice: UNRehabilitation centerBut both the officials said they were yet to see the police report.In November last year, Bangladesh Navy floated tenders for the construction of a “rehabilitation center” on Bhasanchar Island for Rohingya refugees.In the first phase, 100,000 Rohingya people will be relocated to Bhasanchar and the rest will be relocated later in line with the government plan, Chowdhury said.On Aug. 25, 2017, Myanmar launched a major military crackdown on the Muslim ethnic minority, killing almost 24,000 civilians and forcing 750,000 others to flee to Bangladesh, according to the Ontario International Development Agency (OIDA).In its recent report, Forced Migration of Rohingya: The Untold Experience, the OIDA increased the estimated number of murdered Rohingya to 23,962 (±881) from an earlier 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 the Myanmar army and police. More than 115,000 Rohingya houses were burned and 113,000 others were vandalized, it added.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 documented mass gang rapes, killings -- including of infants and young children -- brutal beatings, and disappearances committed by Myanmar state forces. In its report, UN investigators said such violations may have constituted crimes against humanity.
Bangladesh: 87 pct Rohingya unwilling to go to island
Myanmar's military carried out mass killings and gang rapes of Muslim Rohingya with "genocidal intent" and the commander-in-chief and five generals should be prosecuted for the gravest crimes under international law, U.N. investigators said.In a report, they called for the U.N. Security Council to set up an ad hoc tribunal to try suspects or refer them to the International Criminal Court in the Hague. The Security Council should also impose an arms embargo on Myanmar and targeted sanctions against individuals most responsible for crimes.They blamed the country's de facto civilian leader, Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, for failing to use her "moral authority" to protect civilians. Her government "contributed to the commission of atrocity crimes" by letting hate speech thrive, destroying documents and failing to shield minorities from crimes against humanity and war crimes.Verdict on Myanmar’s Reuters journalists postponedThe report also criticised Facebook for allowing the world's biggest social media network to be used to incite violence and hatred. Facebook responded on Monday by announcing that it was blocking 20 Myanmar officials and organisations found by the U.N. panel to have "committed or enabled serious human rights abuses".Contacted by phone, Myanmar military spokesman Major General Tun Tun Nyi said he could not immediately comment. The Myanmar government was sent an advance copy of the U.N. report in line with standard practice.Zaw Htay, spokesman for Suu Kyi's government, could not immediately be reached for comment. Reuters was also unable to contact the six generals named in the report.A year ago, government troops led a brutal crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine state in response to attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on 30 Myanmar police posts and a military base. Some 700,000 Rohingya fled the crackdown and most are now living in refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh.Pompeo decries 'abhorrent ethnic cleansing' in Myanmar on anniversaryThe U.N. report said the military action, which included the torching of villages, was "grossly disproportionate to actual security threats"."The crimes in Rakhine State, and the manner in which they were perpetrated, are similar in nature, gravity and scope to those that have allowed genocidal intent to be established in other contexts," said the U.N. panel, known as the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar.Suu Kyi's government has rejected most allegations of atrocities made against the security forces by refugees. It has built transit centres for refugees to return, but U.N. aid agencies say it is not yet safe for them to do so.Solidarity groups mark first year of Rakhine massacreMORAL AUTHORITYSuu Kyi "has not used her de facto position as Head of Government, nor her moral authority, to stem or prevent the unfolding events, or seek alternative avenues to meet a responsibility to protect the civilian population", the report said.The United Nations defines genocide as acts meant to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group in whole or in part. Such a designation is rare, but has been used in countries including Bosnia, Rwanda and Sudan.In the final 20-page report, the panel said: "There is sufficient information to warrant the investigation and prosecution of senior officials in the Tatmadaw (army) chain of command, so that a competent court can determine their liability for genocide in relation to the situation in Rakhine state."Marzuki Darusman, chair of the panel, said commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing should step down pending investigation.One year since exodus, Rohingya in Bangladesh on the edge"Accountability can only take place both from the point of view of the international community but also from the people of Myanmar if the single most significant factor is addressed. And that is the role of the commander-in-chief, Min Aung Hlaing."The list of generals also included Brigadier-General Aung Aung, commander of the 33rd Light Infantry Division, which oversaw operations in the coastal village of Inn Din where 10 Rohingya captive boys and men were killed.That massacre was uncovered by two Reuters journalists - Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28 - who were arrested last December and are being tried on charges of violating Myanmar's Official Secrets Act. The court had been due to deliver a verdict on Monday, but at a brief hearing postponed the hearings until Sept. 3.In April, seven soldiers were sentenced to 10 years in prison for participating in the Inn Din killings.Video: Turkish foundation distributes meat to Rohingya refugees in BangladeshOther generals named in the report included army deputy commander-in-chief Vice Senior-General Soe Win; the commander of the Bureau of Special Operations-3, Lieutenant-General Aung Kyaw Zaw; the commander of Western Regional Military Command, Major-General Maung Maung Soe; and the commander of 99th Light Infantry Division, Brigadier-General Than Oo.Panel member Christopher Sidoti said "the clarity of the chain of command in Myanmar" meant the six generals must be prosecuted, even in the absence of a "smoking gun" piece of evidence to prove who had ordered the crimes."We do not have a copy of a direct order that says 'undertake genocide tomorrow please'. But that is the case almost universally when cases of genocide have gone before the courts," Sidoti said.Darusman said a wider confidential list of suspects included civilians and insurgents as well as members of the military.Video: Rohingya sufferings know no end as flooded camps add to misery"OPPRESSION FROM BIRTH TO DEATH"The U.N. panel, set up last year, interviewed 875 victims and witnesses in Bangladesh and other countries, and analysed documents, videos, photographs and satellite images.Decades of state-sponsored stigmatisation against Rohingya had resulted in "institutionalised oppression from birth to death", the report said.The Rohingya, who regard themselves as native to Rakhine state, are widely considered as interlopers by Myanmar's Buddhist majority and are denied citizenship."The Tatmadaw acts with complete impunity and has never been held accountable. Its standard response is to deny, dismiss and obstruct," the U.N. report said.EU executive to hold meeting this week on UN Myanmar reportMembers of the panel had accused Facebook in March of allowing its platform to be used to incite violence. The report said the social media company should have acted quicker."Although improved in recent months, Facebook's response has been slow and ineffective. The extent to which Facebook posts and messages have led to real-world discrimination and violence must be independently and thoroughly examined," it said.In a statement announcing its action on Monday, Facebook said it was removing 18 Facebook accounts, one Instagram account and 52 Facebook pages."The ethnic violence in Myanmar has been truly horrific. Earlier this month, we shared an update on the steps we’re taking to prevent the spread of hate and misinformation on Facebook. While we were too slow to act, we’re now making progress – with better technology to identify hate speech, improved reporting tools, and more people to review content."Facebook had acknowledged in a statement issued 10 days ago following a Reuters investigative report into its failure to combat hate speech against the Rohingya and other Muslims in Myanmar that it had been "too slow" to address the problem.Facebook removes top Myanmar military official, others from website
Myanmar generals had 'genocidal intent' against Rohingya, must face justice: UN
A group of Rohingya Muslims gathered in front of U.S. Capitol building Saturday to mark the first anniversary of violence against their community by the Myanmar army in Rakhine state and their exodus to Bangladesh.The demonstration was coordinated by multiple Muslim and Rohingya organizations, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center, the International Campaign for the Rohingya and the Burma Task Force."We want these massacres to be accepted as genocide by the U.S. and international community," Burmese Task Force Director Hena Zuberi told Anadolu Agency.More than 750,000 Rohingyas fled Myanmar last August and crossed into Bangladesh, fleeing violence and massacres initiated by the Myanmar army.Zuberi mentioned the Rohingya community thought that the exodus would be a temporary solution and soon the Rohingya would return to their homes, however, one year later, they remain in refugee camps."We thought it would be a temporary stay. But it has been a year, and nothing has changed. The needle is stuck, and we want this needle to move," Zuberi added."It is a call of the Rohingya people, they have called for this day to be marked all over the world. So we can support them, so we can stand in solidarity with them, so we can educate people about the genocide," Zuberi said, noting that the U.S. administration should take initiative. Persecuted RohingyaSince Aug. 25, 2017, more than 24,000 Rohingya Muslims have been killed by Myanmar’s state forces, according to the Ontario International Development Agency (OIDA).In its recent report, Forced Migration of Rohingya: The Untold Experience, the OIDA increased the estimated number of murdered Rohingya to 23,962 (±881) from an earlier 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 the Myanmar army and police. More than 115,000 Rohingya houses were burned and 113,000 others were vandalized, it added.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 documented mass gang rapes, killings -- including of infants and young children -- brutal beatings, and disappearances committed by Myanmar state forces. In its report, UN investigators said such violations may have constituted crimes against humanity.One year since exodus, Rohingya in Bangladesh on the edgeRohingya languish as repatriation process linger
Rohingya in US mark first year of Rakhine massacre