UN mission head says risk of genocide recurring in Myanmar

United Nations, October 23

The head of a UN fact-finding mission on Myanmar says “there is a serious risk of genocide recurring” against the country’s Rohingya Muslim minority.

Marzuki Darusman told the General Assembly’s human rights committee on Tuesday that “if anything, the situation of the Rohingya in Rakhine state has worsened”.

The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar said in its final report last month that Myanmar should be held responsible in international legal forums for alleged genocide against the Rohingya.

Darusman headed the mission and told the 193-member world body on Tuesday that it had transferred 1,227 interviews with victims and witnesses of crimes against the Rohingya to another specially established UN group. He says that includes “a list of over 150 people suspected of involvement in numerous international crimes.” AP