UN Chief Urges Myanmar's Leaders to Ensure Humanitarian Aid and Investigate Genocide

Strategic Insights -

Myanmar's military crackdown on the Rohingya population a year ago sparked a massive refugee crisis, with over 700,000 people forced to flee to Bangladesh. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged the country's leaders to ensure immediate access for humanitarian aid and to investigate alleged human rights abuses, including genocide and war crimes. Cate Blanchett, a Goodwill Ambassador for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, has described the scenes she witnessed in Bangladesh as "horrific" and called for urgent action to address the crisis.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 700,000 Rohingya people have fled Myanmar to Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar area, escaping a military operation that has been described as ethnic cleansing.
  • UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed concern about the humanitarian and human rights situation in Myanmar and has called for investigations into alleged abuses, including genocide and war crimes.
  • Cate Blanchett has described the scenes she witnessed in Bangladesh as "horrific" and has called for urgent action to address the crisis.
  • The UNDP and UNHCR are implementing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Myanmar government to provide humanitarian aid and support to the Rohingya population.
  • Tegegnework Gettu, Associate Administrator of the UN Development Programme, emphasized the need to address Rakhine's significant development challenges and lift restrictions on free movement and access to services.
  • The UN Security Council has been briefed on the situation in Myanmar and has been urged to provide support for humanitarian aid and investigations into alleged human rights abuses.

Statistics:

  • Over 700,000 Rohingya people have fled Myanmar to Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar area.
  • The UN Human Rights Council has estimated that over 6,700 Rohingya people were killed in the violence that followed the military operations in Rakhine State.
  • The UN says that over 475,000 Rohingya people are currently living in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district.
  • The UNDP and UNHCR have reported that they have provided humanitarian aid to over 300,000 Rohingya people in Bangladesh.
  • The UN Security Council has convened an emergency meeting to discuss the situation in Myanmar and to provide support for humanitarian aid and investigations into alleged human rights abuses.

Sources:

  • http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/news/latest/2018/8/5b859cc44/united-nations-security-council-briefing-situation-myanmar-rohingya-refugee.html
  • http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/news-centre/speeches/2018/United_Nations_Security_Council_Open_Briefing_on_Myanmar.html
  • http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/cate-blanchett.html
  • http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/operations/leadership/assoc-administrator/