Myanmar’s government rejected remarks by a United Nations human rights official that implied authorities could be held partially accountable for the recent mob attacks by Buddhists on minority Muslims that killed dozens of people.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar, Tomas Ojea Quintana, urged Myanmar’s government to investigate allegations that security forces watched as Buddhist mobs attacked Muslims. The official also went on to note that the government needed to do more to protect the country’s Muslims.
“The government has simply not done enough to address the spread of discrimination and prejudice against Muslim communities,” Quintana said in a statement.
Highlighting the state’s ignorance of belligerent mobs, he noted that officers stood amble “while atrocities have been committed before their very eyes, including by well organised ultra-nationalist Buddhist mobs.”
Myanmar’s Deputy Information Minister and presidential spokesman, Ye Htut, wrote in a social media statement that Myanmar “strongly rejected”the Special Rapporteur’s comments and that it was,
“saddening that Mr Quintana made his comments based on hearsay without assessing the situation on the ground.”
