UN rights deputy chief urges Myanmar to end statelessness of ethnic Rohingya

Almost two years ago, hundreds of thousands of mainly Muslim Rohingya fled across the border to Bangladesh, in an operation likened to ethnic cleansing by former UN rights chief, Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein.

In an update to the Human Rights Council, Kate Gilmore, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that her Office continues to verify reports of sexual violence allegedly committed by security forces in Myanmar's Rakhine state, and urged the Government to end the statelessness of its ethnic Rohingya, who face this "appalling" treatment.

Almost two years ago, hundreds of thousands of mainly Muslim Rohingya fled across the border to Bangladesh, in an operation likened to ethnic cleansing by former UN rights chief, Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein.

Today, only 240,000 Rohingya remain in Rakhine from a previous population of approximately one million, and they continue to be persecuted, Ms. Gilmore said.

"In a continuation of attacks, it was reported that on 2 and 9 May this year Rohingya homes and shops were burned in Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships", she added. Later in the month reports alleged that the remaining houses there were burned to the ground: "Our information suggests that the authorities have taken no steps to investigate these attacks."