The urgent meeting requested by Great Britain and Sweden. Myanmar counts on China and Russia to veto any motions. More than 1,000 dead in the last raids in Rakhine. Since August 25 at least 313,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh.
Yangon (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The UN Security Council announces that it will meet tomorrow to discuss violence in Myanmar, which caused the exodus of more than 300,000 Rohingya Muslims to neighboring Bangladesh.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights states that the situation in Rakhine State is an "example of manual ethnic cleansing ". Washington states it is "deeply disturbed" by the attacks on both sides, including the assaults committed by Islamic militants who on August 25 began the conflict.
UN Human Rights Chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein (Photo) yesterday accused Myanmar of "systematic attacks" on Rohingya civilians. "Since Myanmar has denied access to human rights inspectors, the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar has stated that the latest violence has caused more than 1,000 deaths, most of which are Rohingya. The United Nations Refugee Agency states that from August 25 at least 313,000 Rohingya arrived in Bangladesh from Rakhine, about a third of the total population of 1.1 million.
Because of the growing international concern for the crisis, Great Britain and Sweden have called for the urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council tomorrow. In order to ensure that any motion is blocked, the Myanmar government counts on China and Russia, both permanent members of the Council.