Myanmar President Htin Kyaw (3L), flanked by Vice Presidents Myint Swe (2L) and Henry Van Thio (4L), (AFP Photo/Romeo Gacad)
Myanmar accused UN investigators on Tuesday of trying to harm the South-East Asian country’s interests by releasing a report that calls for international sanctions against its military.
The investigators are part of a UN fact-finding mission that was inaugurated after nearly 750,000 Rohingya Muslims crossed into Bangladesh during the military crackdown in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar in Aug. 2017.
The UN and other human-rights groups have accused Myanmar’s government of ethnic cleansing and genocide, dpa/NAN report.
On Monday, the UN mission published a report that said at least 14 foreign companies from seven countries – including China, India, and Israel – have provided fighter jets, armoured combat vehicles, warships, missiles and missile launchers to Myanmar since 2016, despite reports of human rights violations.
The UN called on the international community to sever ties with entities linked to the military and to enforce a total arms embargo in an effort to prevent future atrocities.
On Tuesday, Myanmar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “categorically rejects the latest report and its conclusions” and that it considers the report “an action intended to harm the interests of Myanmar and its people.”
The ministry is overseen by de facto head of state Aung San Suu Kyi, whose civilian government has defended the military from accusations of rights abuses.
The ministry’s statement said accountability for rights abuses is being handled by local commissions appointed by the civilian government and by the military itself.
Rights groups have accused these commissions of whitewashing atrocities.