The UN Security Council has urged Myanmar’s government to step up efforts to create conditions that will allow Rohingya Muslims who fled a violent crackdown to safely return to the country from Bangladesh.
The council Monday after a closed-door meeting in a statement “stressed the need to step up efforts, including through providing assistance to the social and economic development, in order to create conditions conducive to the safe, voluntary and dignified return of Rohingya refugees and internally displaced persons to their homes in Rakhine state.”
It also said that “the importance of undertaking transparent and independent investigations in allegations of human rights abuses and violations.”
The current chair of UNSC and Swedish ambassador to UN Olof Skoog said stressed on the importance of unity of the council, though he said his country thinks progress has been “far too slow.”
“I think there is a recognition among Security Council members that there have been positive steps taken lately. It’s also fair to say that many of those steps are far from sufficient,” Skoog said. “As long as the council is unified in terms of engagement, but also on putting pressure, I think we are making progress slowly.”
UN Secretary General Special Envoy for Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener claimed that Myanmar leaders want to bring Rohingya back to Rakhine state, but the Buddhist population in Rakhine is opposing it.
Burgener she plans to return to Myanmar in September.
In her earlier visit to Myanmar in June, she met State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and other officials.
“I need dialogue, and for that I need open doors,” she said, including to discuss “critical questions” and advise the government on “how they can also change the attitude of the communities on the ground.”
Burgener told reporters, “I think Myanmar is not a country which is reacting quite on pressure, but it’s up to the Security Council.”
The latest crisis began with attacks by Rohingya insurgents on Myanmar security personnel last August. The military responded with counterinsurgency sweeps and was accused of widespread human rights violations, including rape, murder, torture and the burning of Rohingya homes, according to a AP report.
Thousands are believed to have died and about 700,000 fled to Bangladesh. The UN and US officials have called the government’s military campaign ethnic cleansing.