Geneva: The United Nations human rights office has strongly condemned violence against Rohingya people in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, including beheadings. The UN warned on Friday of “appalling and disturbing reports” about the impact of the latest violence, pointing to fresh attacks on Rohingya civilians by the military and an ethnic armed group fighting it. Liz Throssell, spokeswoman for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, cited violence in recent weeks, including reports of arson, air strikes, shooting of unarmed villagers, and beheadings in the town of Buthidaung.
“We are receiving heartbreaking and disturbing reports from Myanmar’s Rakhine state, which reflect the grave threat to life and property caused by the ongoing violence there,” he said at a regular press conference in Geneva. “The serious allegations of killing of Rohingya civilians and burning of their property are worrying,” he said. Citing satellite images, people’s statements and online videos, he said thousands of people have been left homeless in Buthidaung due to the violence in recent days. Online videos showed large-scale arson in the town. He said “this violence is clearly fuelled by the conflict” that began in neighbouring Maungdow.
Accusation on Myanmar army
Throssell condemned the latest attacks on Rohingya civilians by the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army, an army of fighters from the Rakhine ethnic minority group. The United League of Arakan, the political wing of the Arakan Army, said in a statement released online late Friday that civilians in the war zone had taken refuge in areas controlled by its forces. It said it was “making every effort to protect and care for these internally displaced people (IDPs), regardless of race or religion.” However, Rohingya activists have blamed the Arakan Army for the ongoing violence. (AP)
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