Take action to stop ‘madness’ on Rohingyas: UN rights body chief | The Daily Star
Skip to main content
E-paper বাংলা
T
Latest
Business climate improves slightly PM to unveil 25 dev projects in Rajshahi on Jan 29 Adani shares fall after fraud claims, record sale begins South Asian Women in Media urge for halting further probe against journalist Rozina India expects more clashes with Chinese troops in Himalayas: document RMG shipments: At the mercy of highway robbers Djokovic's father skips Melbourne semi-final after flag controversy Light to moderate fog expected across Bangladesh Column by Mahfuz Anam: Who runs the country? Family of feelings: Iffat Nawaz's 'Shurjo's Clan' Teacher's home becomes school in destroyed Ukraine village India asks Pakistan for modification of 62-yr-old Indus Water Treaty Dhaka air 2nd most polluted in the world this morning Truck-sized asteroid misses Earth Sania Mirza bids emotional farewell to Grand Slam career
The Daily Star
Journalism Without Fear or Favour
Friday, January 27, 2023
  • E-paper
  • বাংলা
Latest
Business climate improves slightly PM to unveil 25 dev projects in Rajshahi on Jan 29 Adani shares fall after fraud claims, record sale begins South Asian Women in Media urge for halting further probe against journalist Rozina India expects more clashes with Chinese troops in Himalayas: document RMG shipments: At the mercy of highway robbers Djokovic's father skips Melbourne semi-final after flag controversy Light to moderate fog expected across Bangladesh Column by Mahfuz Anam: Who runs the country? Family of feelings: Iffat Nawaz's 'Shurjo's Clan' Teacher's home becomes school in destroyed Ukraine village India asks Pakistan for modification of 62-yr-old Indus Water Treaty Dhaka air 2nd most polluted in the world this morning Truck-sized asteroid misses Earth Sania Mirza bids emotional farewell to Grand Slam career
The Daily Star
Friday, January 27, 2023 | Journalism Without Fear or Favour
  • Home
  • News
    • Bangladesh
    • Asia
    • World
  • Opinion
    • Views
    • Editorial
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Health
    • Diseases
    • Healthcare
    • Food
  • Sports
    • Cricket
    • Football
    • More Sports
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Global Economy
    • Organisation News
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Film
    • Music
    • Theatre & Arts
  • Culture
    • Art & Design
    • Books
  • Life & Living
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Food & Recipes
    • Health & Fitness
  • Youth
    • Education
    • Careers
    • Young Icons
  • Tech & Startup
    • Science, Gadgets, and Tech
    • Startups
    • Automobiles
  • Feature
    • Lifestyle
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Showbiz
    • Star Health
    • Satireday
    • Shout
    • Toggle
    • Star Literature
    • In Focus
    • Star Youth
    • Law & Our Rights
    • Daily Star Books
    • Roundtables
    • Supplements
  • Environment
    • Climate crisis
    • Natural resources
    • Pollution
  • NRB
বাংলা T
  • Home
  • News
    • Bangladesh
    • Asia
    • World
  • Opinion
    • Views
    • Editorial
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Health
    • Diseases
    • Healthcare
    • Food
  • Sports
    • Cricket
    • Football
    • More Sports
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Global Economy
    • Organisation News
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Film
    • Music
    • Theatre & Arts
  • Culture
    • Art & Design
    • Books
  • Life & Living
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Food & Recipes
    • Health & Fitness
  • Youth
    • Education
    • Careers
    • Young Icons
  • Tech & Startup
    • Science, Gadgets, and Tech
    • Startups
    • Automobiles
  • Feature
    • Lifestyle
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Showbiz
    • Star Health
    • Satireday
    • Shout
    • Toggle
    • Star Literature
    • In Focus
    • Star Youth
    • Law & Our Rights
    • Daily Star Books
    • Roundtables
    • Supplements
  • Environment
    • Climate crisis
    • Natural resources
    • Pollution
  • NRB

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • SMS Subscription
  • Apps
  • Comment Policy
  • RSS
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Conference Hall
  • Archives
Southeast Asia

Take action to stop ‘madness’ on Rohingyas: UN rights body chief

Star Online Report
Tue Dec 5, 2017 04:40 PM Last update on: Tue Dec 5, 2017 08:21 PM
File photo of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein who condemns “widespread, systematic and shockingly brutal attacks” as well as decades of discrimination and persecution against Rohingyas on December 5, 2017.

The United Nations (UN) human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein today condemned "widespread, systematic and shockingly brutal attacks" against Rohingyas, as well as decades of discrimination and persecution.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also urged a special session of the UN Human Rights Council on the current situation of Rohingyas in northern Rakhine state of Myanmar "to take the appropriate action to stop this madness now".

Also read: Dealing with Rohingya Crisis: UN assures full cooperation

"How much do people have to endure before their suffering is acknowledged and their identity and rights are recognised, by their government and by the world?" he asked.

For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.

He also urged the council to consider making a recommendation to the UN General Assembly that it establish a new impartial and independent mechanism, complementary to the work of the Fact-Finding Mission into the latest wave of violence and abuses, to assist individual criminal investigations of those responsible.

Read more: Myanmar needs to engage with UN, Bangladesh

He said that given the decades of statelessness imposed on the Rohingya, policies of dehumanising discrimination and segregation, and the horrific violence and abuse, along with the forced displacement and systematic destruction of villages, homes, property and livelihoods - "can anyone rule out that elements of genocide may be present?"

"Ultimately, this is a legal determination only a competent court can make," he told the Council.

Read also: UN shelved hunger report on Rohingyas

"But the concerns are extremely serious, and clearly call for access to be immediately granted for further verification."

By December 2, an estimated 626,000 refugees - or more than half the estimated number of Rohingya living in Rakhine State - had fled to Bangladesh since October 2016, and particularly since August 2017. The Myanmar Government has said its latest campaign in northern Rakhine was in response to attacks by insurgents.

Zeid said his Office had sent three teams to Bangladesh this year to monitor the situation and interview refugees.

He said witnesses reported acts of appalling barbarity committed against the Rohingya, including deliberately burning people to death inside their homes; murders of children and adults; indiscriminate shooting of fleeing civilians; widespread rapes of women and girls; and the burning and destruction of houses, schools, markets and mosques.

Zeid said he had reported to both the Human Rights Council and the Security Council about the persistent allegations of serious human rights violations by security forces.

Yet, he added, prosecutions for alleged acts of violence against them, including sexual violence – whether committed by security forces or civilians – appeared to be extremely rare.

"Refusal by international as well as local actors to even name the Rohingyas as Rohingyas – to recognise them as a community and respect their right to self-identification – is yet another humiliation, and it creates a shameful paradox: they are denied a name, while being targeted for being who they are," he added.

Zeid told the Special Session of the Council that it appeared very probable that by continuing to dehumanise the Rohingya the state authorities would fuel even wider levels of violence in the future. "We cannot afford to hear that historical and tragic refrain, one more time, that no one knew it would turn out to be like this — what a lie that would be," he said.

The High Commissioner warned against the premature repatriation of any refugees in the absence of sustained human rights monitoring on the ground and without first addressing the root causes of the crisis.

He cited a similar situation in the 1990s when refugees who fled Rakhine State started to return but were again forced to take flight.

"The world cannot countenance a hasty window-dressing of these shocking atrocities, bundling people back to conditions of severe discrimination and latent violence which seem certain to lead in the future to further suffering, and more movements of people," the UN human rights chief said.

Related topic
United Nations (UN) / Rohingya persecution
Apple Google
Click to comment

Comments

Comments Policy

Related News

Front Page

Shanties sprout as exodus swells

Front Page

Rohingya Persecution: WB suspends $200m loan for Myanmar

Views

COP27 must commit to loss and damage finance

World Health Organization (WHO)
Pollution

9 out of 10 people worldwide breathe polluted air: WHO

World

World population to hit 8 billion in November: UN

The Daily Star  | বাংলা
১ ঘণ্টা আগে|রাজনীতি

সরকার হটাতে ন্যূনতম দফার যৌথ ঘোষণা আসছে: মির্জা ফখরুল

সরকার হটানোর যুগপৎ আন্দোলন আরও জোরদারের সিদ্ধান্ত নিয়েছে গণতন্ত্র মঞ্চ ও বিএনপি।

২ ঘণ্টা আগে|ইউক্রেনে রাশিয়ার আগ্রাসন

আব্রামস ও লেপার্ড ট্যাংক কি ইউক্রেনের তুরুপের তাস

The Daily Star
Follow Us
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • SMS Subscription
  • Apps
  • Comment Policy
  • RSS
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Conference Hall
  • Archives
X
© 2023 thedailystar.net | Powered by: RSI LAB
Copyright: Any unauthorized use or reproduction of The Daily Star content for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited and constitutes copyright infringement liable to legal action.