U.N. urges Burmese government to probe sex assault cases in Rakhine state
In this Friday, Oct. 14, 2016 photo, Myanmar police officers patrol along the border fence between Myanmar and Bangladesh in Maungdaw, Rakhine State, Myanmar. Pic: AP
12th November 2016
THE Burmese (Myanmar) government must open an investigation into allegations of sexual assault in northern Rakhine state following recent border attacks, a U.N. official said.
In a statement issued Friday, Zainab Hawa Bangura, the U.N.’s special representative on sexual violence in conflict, said she was gravely concerned by the reports and said it was essential for the government to allow humanitarian access to the area to provide support for the survivors.
“The recent escalation of violence may lead to more incidents of sexual assault, and therefore I call upon the government of Myanmar to take measures to stop this spiral of violence, particularly against women and girls,” she said.
The reports follow a surge in violence by security forces, prompted by the killings of nine police officers at border posts on Oct. 9.
The envoy warned that there might be more similar incidents of sexual assaults in the future as the escalation of the violence continues, and urged to the Government of Myanmar to act now to prevent any future incidents.
“These are not isolated incidents but are part of a wider pattern of ethnically motivated violence that my office has tracked over the past several years,” she said.
“It is critical to end impunity for sexual violence, and I would remind the relevant authorities that human rights must be respected even in the context of counter-insurgency operations.”
She said it is also vital for the government to provide enough access for the humanitarian organizations to intervene and ensure life-saving clinical management and psycho-social support services for survivors.
Bangura also called on the government to end access restrictions on human rights monitors and member of the media.
“(We) will continue to monitor the situation, provide any necessary support to the survivors, and hold perpetrators of conflict-related sexual violence accountable,” she said.
The UN had previously expressed concern at violent attacks by unidentified individuals and groups against border guards and security forces on Oct 9 in three areas of Northern Rakhine that became deadly.
Armed men attacked three police outposts in Maungdaw township near the border with Bangladesh, killing the nine police officers and seizing weapons.
The President’s Office blamed a previously unknown Rohingya group called Aqa Mul Mujahidin for the attacks, though other officials have said it is unclear who was responsible.
Five members of the security forces have also been killed in another round of violence, forcing government security forces to declare the area an “operation zone” to sweep for attackers. According to senior members of the government, security forces have killed 30 people.
Longstanding discrimination by the Buddhist majority against Muslim Rohingya in Rakhine exploded into bloody violence in 2012. More than 100,000 people, mostly Rohingyas, are still in displacement camps.
Additional reporting by the Associated Press
