UN: Rohingya crisis bears 'hallmarks of genocide'

Nearly 7,00,000 Rohingya have fled from their villages into Bangladesh. File pic/AFP

The UN special envoy on human rights in Myanmar said yesterday that the Myanmar military's violent operations against Rohingya Muslims bear "the hallmarks of a genocide." Yanghee Lee said she couldn't make a definitive declaration about genocide until a credible international tribunal or court had weighed the evidence, but "we are seeing signs and it is building up to that."

Her briefing described her recent visit to refugee camps in Bangladesh and other areas in the region to discuss the Rohingya. Nearly 7,00,000 Rohingya have fled from their villages into Bangladesh since the Myanmar military's crackdown following August 25,2017 attacks by Rohingya insurgents. Lee said that Myanmar's actions were "amounting to crimes against humanity." "These are part of the hallmarks of a genocide," she said.

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