EU Calls For Investigation Into Human Rights Abuses against Rohingya Muslims

Brussels, 24 Safar 1438/24 November 2016 (MINA) – The European Union (EU) said Wednesday that “there has been serious upsurge of violence in northern Rakhine State.”

The EU has called on the leaders of the government and the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces to restore unimpeded access to those in need of humanitarian assistance, including newly displaced people, Maja Kocijancic, spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, told the Kuwait news agency, KUNA, here Wednesday.

The EU is also calling for the setting up of an independent and credible investigation into reports of human rights violations, she said.

The EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Stavros Lambrinidis, is currently in Myanmar for ongoing talks and he was due to raise the issue at the EU-Myanmar Human Rights Dialogue, noted Kocijanic.

In parallel, a visit of senior officials from the EU humanitarian aid office, ECHO, to Rakhine State is currently taking place.

According to media reports, recent fighting in Myanmar has led to hundreds of ethnic Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh to seek refuge. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)