UN Human Rights chief - refer Myanmar to ICC

The UN High Commissioner of Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein this week called on member states of the Human Rights Council to refer Myanmar to the International Criminal Court rejecting the country's assertion that it was a "body committed to the defence of human rights."

““In the four years that I have been High Commissioner I have heard many preposterous claims,” he said. “This claim, that I have just stated now, almost creates a new category of absurdity. Have some shame sir. Have some shame. We are not fools,” Mr Zeid said.

Calling for Myanmar's government to ensure access to Rakhine state, the epicentre of crimes against humanity and genocide of Rohingya people by state troops, Mr Zeid said that the government should do this “instead of coming out with one bogus national commission after another”. 

Urging member states to act, he added, “if a Member State of this organisation can force out 700,000 people in almost three weeks, with practically minimal response by the international community, then how many others in this Chamber are beginning to entertain something similar?”

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