An article from the CNA

ASIA PACIFIC
Myanmar govt 'deeply concerned' about allegations in UN report on Rakhine

YANGON: Myanmar's government has said that it is "deeply concerned" about the "very serious" allegations in a recent UN report detailing atrocities against the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar's Rakhine region.

In a statement released on Wednesday (Feb 8), Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government was investigating these allegations, and would "spare no effort to take legal action against any perpetrators if there is clear evidence of human rights abuses".

The United Nations' human rights office last week said that Myanmar forces had committed mass killings and gang rapes of Rohingya Muslims among other actions so severe they could amount to possible "ethnic cleansing".

The UN report estimated that around 66,000 people have fled from Myanmar's Muslim-majority northern area of Rakhine State to Bangladesh ever since the military launched a crackdown in response to attacks on police border posts on Oct 9.

In its statement, Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the attacks were carried out by "armed men funded and inspired from abroad", and that they seriously threatened "the prospects of stability and development in the state." It said that in these circumstances, the government was taking steps to "ensure the safety and security of its people", and added that security forces had been instructed to act lawfully and to refrain from use of excessive force.

The ministry said that the work of the country's National Investigation Commission, led by Vice President Myint Swe would continue to "verify all allegations". The commission was tasked to submit a report at the end of January this year, but the ministry said this submission date had been extended "so that a thorough report could be prepared".

The United Nations' Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide had previously said the VP-led commission was "not a credible option" to investigate Rohingya atrocities.

- CNA/nc

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