UN chief urges Burma to end ‘nightmare’ for Rohingyas

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Myanmar’s authorities on Thursday to immediately end military operations that have sent over 500,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh.Guterres called the crisis “the world’s fastest developing refugee emergency and a humanitarian and human rights nightmare.”Advertisement (1 of 1): 0:11Passer dans 3 sThe U.N. chief warned that the humanitarian crisis is a breeding ground for radicalization, criminals and traffickers. And he said the broader crisis “has generated multiple implications for neighboring states and the larger region, including the risk of inter-communal strife.”Guterres told the U.N. Security Council at its first open meeting on Myanmar (Burma) since 2009 that government authorities must also allow “unfettered access” for humanitarian aid and ensure “the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return” of all those who sought refuge across the border.The Rohingya have faced decades of discrimination and persecution by the majority Buddhist population in Myanmar, where they are denied citizenship despite centuries-old roots in the country.The current crisis erupted Aug. 25 when an insurgent Rohingya group attacked police posts in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, killing a dozen security personnel   an act that Guterres again condemned.

 

Source: UN chief urges Burma to end ‘nightmare’ for Rohingyas – France 24