Guterres: Myanmar's Quest for Justice Must Comply with International Law

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - United Nations member states should partner with Myanmar to ensure that its efforts to bring perpetrators of human rights abuses to justice comply with international law, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said during a Security Council meeting on Tuesday.

"Effective international cooperation will be critical to ensure that the accountability mechanisms are credible, transparent, impartial, independent, and comply with Myanmar's obligations and international law," Guterres told members of the Security Council.

He noted that multiple reports on the situation in Burma show that grave human rights violations are ongoing. These reports should be seriously considered by all international bodies, Guterres said.

He commended Bangladesh's efforts to resolve the refugee crisis, but noted that the ultimate response to the situation in Myanmar must be a global one.

Guterres pointed out that the international appeal for nearly $951 million to address the Rohingya crisis remains significantly underfunded and is now at 33 percent.

Therefore, much more must be done to alleviate the risks posed by the conflict, including human trafficking and sexual exploitation, Guterres stressed.

The mass exodus of the Rohingya people started after Myanmar security launched a crackdown on Rohingya insurgents following an attack on the police posts which killed 12 servicemen. The stateless minority has long been fighting discrimination and persecution, as the Myanmar government claims they are migrants from Bangladesh who occupied the Rakhine territory.

Despite the fact that most of the Rohingyas were born in Myanmar, they have no citizenship and are deprived of the social benefits such as health care and education. Neighboring Bangladesh now shelters over 700,000 Rohingya refugees.

READ MORE: Myanmar Asks Bangladesh to End Aid to Rohingyas Amid Repatriation Plan