UN calls to end army actions in Rakhine

The United Nations Security Council is likely to hold open sessions on ethnic cleansing in Rakhine State, as a motion was moved in the European Parliament for a resolution urging the UNSC and General Assembly to adopt effective diplomatic and political measures to ensure compliance by the Myanmar government with its obligations to ensure protection of minority Rohingyas.
The United Nations Security Council, on early Thursday (Bangladesh time), called for immediate steps to end the violence and ensure the protection of civilians in the violence-torn state of Myanmar.
Asked if the UNSC would hold an open session on Rohingya matters, current UNSC president Tekeda Alemu said at a press conference in New York, ‘I wouldn’t exclude it’ as it (Security Council) was ‘seized’ with the matter.
The UNSC made the call, in a closed-door meeting proposed by Britain and Sweden in New York, expressing deep concern about the situation in Rakhine and condemning the violence, which led to the exodus of more than 3,70,000 people in Bangladesh, according to diplomatic sources in New York.
The UNSC members expressed concern about the reports of excessive violence during the security operations and called for immediate steps to end the violence in Rakhine, de-escalate the situation, re-establish law and order, ensure the protection of civilians and resolve the refugee problem.
The UNSC welcomed the government of Bangladesh’s efforts to provide assistance to refugees and also welcomed efforts of the UN and other international organisations to support Bangladesh.
The UNSC members called on the Myanmar government to fulfill its commitments to provide and allow humanitarian assistance to all displaced individuals without discrimination.
They encouraged further dialogue and cooperation among the states concerned.
They agreed on the importance of a long term solution to the situation in Rakhine and called for the implementation of the recommendations of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine, chaired by Kofi Annan.
Asked if the UNSC statement was ‘weak’ or ‘submissive’, Tekeda Alemu said, ‘This is what we could agree so far.’
China, one of five powerful permanent members of the UNSC, however, blocked a proposal from Egypt to add words in the draft text on ensuring the right of return to the Rohingya sheltering in Bangladesh, Agence France-Presse reported with reference of diplomats in the UN system.
British ambassador Matthew Rycroft stressed that it was the first time in nine years that the Security Council was able to agree on a common stance on Myanmar.
Nikki Haley, US permanent representative to the UN, ‏ said, in a tweet, that the UN Security Council was united in calling for an end to violence against innocent civilians in Rakhine State.
Bangladesh foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali welcomed the UNSC statement on Rohingya situation. ‘It is timely and very strong statement’ by the Security Council, he said at a press briefing in Dhaka on Thursday.
Nearly 4,00,000 minority Rohingyas, mostly women, children and aged people, fled violence and persecution during ‘security operations’ by Myanmar military in Rakhine to Bangladesh since August 25, raising a total number of undocumented Myanmar nationals and registered refugees in Bangladesh to over 8,00,000.
UN secretary general António Guterres‏ said at a press conference at UN headquarters early Thursday that violence in Myanmar ‘has created a humanitarian catastrophe’ and escalated beyond Myanmar’s border, destabilising the region.’
He acknowledged that Rohingya Muslims were being ethnically cleansed in Myanmar as he called for a halt to a military campaign in Rakhine state.
‘I call on the Myanmar authorities to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the rule of law and recognise the right of return of all those who had to leave the country,’ the UN chief.
Asked if he agreed that the Rohingya population was being ethnically cleansed, he replied, ‘When one-third of the Rohingya population has got to flee the country, can you find a better word to describe it?’
Guterres said that the Myanmar government should either grant the Rohingya nationality or legal status that would allow them to live a normal life.
Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, in a phone call on Wednesday, urged Myanmar’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi to play the role of a ‘moral and political leader’ for the nation, his office said in a statement.
A group of members of the European Parliament on Thursday urged, in the motion, the UN Security Council and General Assembly to adopt effective diplomatic and political measures to ensure compliance by the Myanmar government with its obligations for ensuring protection of minority Rohingyas.
They urged the (Myanmar) military and security forces to immediately cease the killings, harassment and rape of the Rohingya people, and the burning of their homes. It also demanded accountability for the serious violations of international law by all parties.
They urged China and other international and regional actors to use all channels to demand an end to the atrocities and bring about a peaceful resolution.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina would start for New York on Saturday to lead the Bangladesh delegation in the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly where she would urge the international quarters to mount pressure on Myanmar to resolve Rohingya crisis, foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali said at a press conference in Dhaka on Thursday.
Hasina would join meetings on Rohingya matters, UN peacekeeping mechanism and UN reforms, among others. There would also be meetings with top foreign dignitaries, including Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, on the sideline of the UNGA.
British foreign secretary Boris Johnson is likely to host a meeting, on Rohingya situation, where he invited foreign minister Ali to participate.
Ali is also expected to call on Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. A minister of Myanmar state counsellor Aung Sun Suu Kyi’s office is likely to call on Ali on the sideline of the UNGA.