Arakan News Agency
The Washington Post has accused the Myanmar government of covering up its systematic violation of the Muslim minority of the Rohingya.
At the beginning of its editorial, the newspaper comments on a UN report published in February this year, dismissing human rights abuses against the long-suffering minority in Arakan, noting that abuses against the minority amount to crimes against humanity.
“Myanmar must listen to the demands of the United Nations, allow a team to investigate the situation in the region, and establish a mechanism to prevent such violations,” the editorial said. “But the government responded by finding that there was no evidence of crimes, (People from abroad falsified the news, claiming that genocide had taken place).
“Contrary to this, there is ample evidence of human rights violations in Arakan, where the Rohingya has long been denied citizenship and pushed into ghetto-like conditions. The government has restricted the movement of Rohingya residents and imposed a curfew on them, contributing to an acute shortage of food. Some 90 people have died since the outbreak of the war. Violence last year, and fled about 65 thousand From Arakan. “
“The response of Myanmar was the establishment of a commission of inquiry that lacked credibility from the outset. The 13-member committee was headed by a former military commander and current Vice President Myint Swe, who did not include any representative of the Rohingya minority. According to reports prepared by civil society organizations, The interrogators used a dirty interrogation method that was indiscriminate, intimidated villagers and ignored complaints. “
However, the Committee made some logical recommendations, recognizing that continued restrictions on Rohingya and the media could create favorable conditions for increased violence and extremism and recommended easing restrictions on humanitarian support. Security is no mistake, in addition to increasing security standards against Muslim insurgents, and reports on the increase in the number of troops deployed in Arakan, which will give the military the green light to use excessive force. “
“It is becoming increasingly clear that the semi-democratic government bears similar features to the dictatorship that preceded it. It is very sensitive to criticism, oppressed by minorities and ready to take everything to protect the army. The international community must therefore take note and renew efforts to form a fact finding mission- Of the United Nations visiting the country, Congress must rethink plans to expand military cooperation with Myanmar, or at least to establish audit mechanisms and conditions of human rights linked to military links in the future.
The Washington Post concluded by saying that “the United States has always been a preacher of democracy in Myanmar, but the results of the investigation (the government) confirms that the battle is not over yet”
