U.N. Mission Asks for More Time to Investigate Myanmar Violence

• 09.19.2017, 16:16
•  Other,  World

Reuters

The head of a U.N. investigation into violence in Myanmar asked on Tuesday for more time to look into allegations of mass killings of Rohingya Muslims, as well as torture, sexual violence and the burning of villages, Reuters reports.

Marzuki Darusman told his sponsors in the U.N. Human Rights Council he was also still waiting for Myanmar’s permission to enter the country, though he was hopeful there would be progress soon.

Darusman’s team started its work in August, the month that attacks by Rohingya Muslim insurgents triggered a military response that has forced more than 410,000 Rohingya into neighboring Bangladesh.

Myanmar has denied rights groups’ accusations that it is trying to drive the minority community out of Rakhine state, saying it is only targeting militants.

Darusman told the Geneva-based council the time left until his current March 2018 deadline was “utterly insufficient” and asked for a six-month extension.