UN fears new atrocity in Myanmar as troops gather in restive northern states

The United nations fears different quality rights catastrophe successful Myanmar amid reports of thousands of troops massing successful the northbound of the south-east Asian country, which has been successful chaos since a February coup.

“We should each beryllium prepared, arsenic the radical successful this portion of Myanmar are prepared, for adjacent much wide atrocity crimes. I desperately anticipation that I americium wrong,” said UN peculiar rapporteur connected Myanmar, Tom Andrews.

More than 1,100 civilians person been killed successful the country’s bloody crackdown connected dissent and much than 8,000 arrested since the coup, according to a section monitoring group.

Andrews, who was presenting the findings of an yearly quality rights study connected Myanmar to the UN wide assembly successful New York, said that helium had received accusation that tens of thousands of troops and dense weapons were being moved into restive regions successful the northbound and north-west.

The findings, helium said, besides indicated that the junta had engaged successful probable crimes against humanity and warfare crimes.

“These tactics are ominously reminiscent of those employed by the subject earlier its genocidal attacks against the Rohingya successful Rakhine authorities successful 2016 and 2017,” Andrews said.

About 740,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar’s Rakhine authorities successful 2017 aft information forces launched a clampdown that the UN has said whitethorn magnitude to genocide.

Andrews urged countries to contradict Myanmar’s subject junta the money, weapons and legitimacy it desired, citing a captive merchandise earlier successful the week arsenic grounds that unit was working.

On Monday, Myanmar’s junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, announced the release of much than 5,000 radical jailed for protesting against the coup.

The determination came conscionable days aft the Association of Southeast Asian Nations delivered a major snub to the subject regime, exclude the junta caput from an upcoming acme of the 10-country bloc.

“Asean’s announcement that the junta volition not beryllium invited astatine its upcoming acme strikes astatine the heart,” Andrews said.

Andrews said that junta-controlled forces had displaced a 4th cardinal people. Many of those who had been detained were tortured, helium said, including dozens who had died arsenic a result.

Andrews added that helium had received credible reports that children had besides been tortured.