Sub-title:
Independent UN human rights experts on Tuesday voiced grave concern over the killing and displacement of civilians in north-west Myanmar during the intensifying conflict between the military and an armed group, the Arakan Army, amid an information blackout in some parts of Rakhine and Chin states.
Description:
"“Civilians, including children, continue to bear the brunt of this escalating conflict,”said the UN rights experts, adding that “we are especially fearful for them as violence has increased in the areas where an internet shutdown was recently re-imposed.” In a joint statement, the experts said that since the beginning of February, the Mayanmr Government had imposed restrictions, including a three-month suspension of mobile internet services, in Muslim-majority Rakhine state and in Chin state, the experts explained in a statement.
Further, credible reports showed that fighting and possible use of heavy weapons occurred near ethnic Rakhine and Rohingya villages.
“We are gravely concerned that children are being killed and injured, and that reports suggest weapons are being used indiscriminately, and precautions are not being taken to protect civilians and civilian objects such as schools and monasteries, in violation of international humanitarian law,” the experts said. On the one hand, civilians continue to experience severe difficulties in moving around the conflict-affected area, particularly for those in need of assistance.
On the other hand, heavy restrictions on humanitarian access in Rakhine state remain and access for the media and human rights monitors is extremely limited.
“We call on all parties to the conflict to abide by international humanitarian law and international human rights law and protect civilians at all times,” said the experts..."
Source/publisher:
UN News
Date of Publication:
2020-02-20
Date of entry:
2020-02-20
Grouping:
- Individual Documents
Category:
- Human Rights
- Discrimination
- Race or Ethnicity: Discrimination based on
- Racial or ethnic discrimination in Burma: reports of violations
- Racial or ethnic discrimination in Burma: reports of violations against specific groups
- Discrimination against the Chin (Zo)
- Discrimination against the Chin (Zo) -- websites and reports
Countries:
Myanmar
Administrative areas of Burma/Myanmar:
Rakhine State, Chin State
Language:
English
Resource Type:
text
Text quality:
- Good