UN takes no action on order against Myanmar on Rohingyas

FILE: Bangladesh – Rohingya women in refugee camps share stories of loss and hopes of recovery (Photo: UN Women/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

CAMEROON, Cameroon — The U.N. Security Council on Tuesday discussed the International Court of Justice’s order that Myanmar must do all it can to prevent genocide against the Rohingya Muslims, but failed to agree on a statement.

Myanmar’s ally China as well as Vietnam, which is part of the regional Association of Southeast Nations along with Myanmar, objected, diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the meeting was closed.

Instead, the European Union members of the council urged Myanmar in a joint statement to reporters afterward to comply with the measures ordered by the U.N.’s top court, stressing that they are “compulsory under international law.”

France, Germany, Belgium and Estonia along with former council member Poland also urged Myanmar “to take credible action to bring to justice those responsible for human rights violations.”

“Myanmar must address the root causes of its conflicts, in Rakhine State, but also in Kachin and Shan States,” the EU members said. “Accountability of perpetrators of human rights and humanitarian law violations is a necessary part of this process.”

More than 700,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh after Myanmar security forces launched a crackdown on the Muslim minority in August 2017 in response to an attack by a Rohingya insurgent group. Bangladesh currently houses over 1 million Rohingya refugees.

Myanmar has long claimed the Rohingya are “Bengali” migrants from Bangladesh, even though their families have lived in the country for generations. Nearly all Rohingya have been denied citizenship since 1982, effectively rendering them stateless, and they are denied freedom of movement and other basic rights.

The EU countries said “Myanmar must also create conditions for and facilitate a voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of the Rohingya to Myanmar.”

They also reiterated the Security Council’s call for Myanmar to implement the recommendations of the Annan commission which before the August 2017 attacks called for Myanmar to grant citizenship and ensure other rights to the Rohingya. It also urged the government to promote investment and community-directed growth to alleviate poverty in Rakhine.