Myanmar atrocities against Rohingya may be crimes against humanity: UN rights committees

The United Nations committees for women’s and children’s rights say atrocities against Rohingya Muslims “at the behest of the military” in Myanmar may constitute crimes against humanity.

The United Nations committees for women’s and children’s rights say atrocities against Rohingya Muslims “at the behest of the military” in Myanmar may constitute crimes against humanity.

The committees on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and on the Rights of the Child said in a statement on Wednesday that the violations being committed against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar’s western state of Rakhine “may amount to crimes against humanity.”

“We are particularly worried about the fate of Rohingya women and children subject to serious violations of their human rights, including killings, rape and forced displacement,” said the statement.

The Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar have faced government-sanctioned violence by soldiers and Buddhist mobs since October 2016. The violence has seen a sharp rise since August.