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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 17 sepTember 2019

UN mission accuses accountability for Myanmar 'genocide'

By GRANT PECK man Rights Council, which
Associated Press established the mission in
BANGKOK (AP) — A special 2017.
U.N. fact-finding mission Muslim Rohingya face
has urged that Myanmar heavy discrimination in
be held responsible in inter- Buddhist-dominated Myan-
national legal forums for al- mar, where they are re-
leged genocide against its garded as having illegally
Muslim Rohingya minority. immigrated from Bangla-
The Independent Interna- desh, even though many
tional Fact-Finding Mission families have lived in Myan-
on Myanmar said in a re- mar for generations. Most
port Monday wrapping up are denied citizenship and
two years of documenta- basic civil rights.
tion of human rights viola- The homes of many were
tions by security forces that destroyed during the coun-
counterinsurgency opera- terinsurgency operation
tions against Rohngya in and there is little sign that
2017 included "genocidal refugees will not face the
acts." same discrimination if they
It said the operations killed return.
thousands of people and A plan to repatriate an ini-
caused more than 740,000 tial group last month col-
Rohingya to flee to Bangla- In this Oct. 22, 2017, file photo, Rohingya Muslim woman, Rukaya Begum, who crossed over from lapsed when no one want-
Myanmar into Bangladesh, after the government moved them to newly allocated refugee camp
desh. areas, near Kutupalong, Bangladesh. ed to be taken back.
The mission said the threat Associated Press The U.N. mission has fo-
of genocide continues for cused on the Rohingya in
an estimated 600,000 Ro- said. updated six others previ- cial, summary or arbitrary Rakhine state but also cov-
hingya still inside Myanmar "The threat of genocide ously issued by the mission killings, enforced disap- ered actions by Myanmar's
living in "deplorable" condi- continues for the remaining that detailed accounts of pearances, forced dis- military — known as the
tions and facing persecu- Rohingya," mission head arbitrary detention, torture placement and unlawful Tatmadaw — toward other
tion. The situation makes Marzuki Darusman said in a and inhuman treatment, destruction of property. minorities in Rakhine, Chin,
the repatriation of Rohing- statement. rape and other forms of It is to be presented Tues- Shan, Kachin and Karen
ya refugees impossible, it The report summarized and sexual violence, extrajudi- day in Geneva to the Hu- states.q

India arrests senior Kashmir leader under controversial law

NEW DELHI (AP) — A Par- India politician who has New Delhi stripped Jammu
liament member who is a been arrested under the and Kashmir of semi-auton-
senior pro-India politician Public Safety Act, under omy and statehood, creat-
in Indian-controlled Kash- which rights activists say ing two federal territories.
mir was arrested Monday more than 20,000 Kashmiris Thousands of additional
under a controversial law have been detained in the Indian troops were sent to
that allows authorities to last two decades. the Kashmir Valley, already
imprison someone for up to Amnesty International has one of the world's most mili-
two years without charge called the PSA a "lawless tarized regions. Telephone
or trial. law," and rights groups say communications, cell-
Farooq Abdullah, 81, who India has used the law to sti- phone coverage, broad-
also was the former chief fle dissent and circumvent band internet and cable
minister of Jammu and the criminal justice system, TV services were cut for the
Kashmir, was arrested at his undermining accountabil- valley's 7 million people, al-
residence in Srinagar, the ity, transparency, and re- though some communica-
summer capital of the dis- spect for human rights. tions have been gradually In this April 8, 2019, file photo, National Conference president
Farooq Abdullah addresses his supporters during an election
puted Himalayan region. Abdullah's residence was restored. campaign rally in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir.
"We have arrested him, declared a subsidiary jail On Aug. 6, Indian Home Associated Press
and a committee will de- and he was put under Minister Amit Shah denied
cide how long the arrest house arrest on Aug. 5 to the lower house of Par- not want to come out of liamentarians expressed
will be," said Muneer Khan, when Indian Prime Minister liament that Abdullah had his house, he cannot be concern over Abdullah's
a top police official. Narendra Modi's Hindu na- been detained or arrested. brought out at gunpoint," absence during the de-
Abdullah is the first pro- tionalist-led government in "If he (Abdullah) does Shah said, when other par- bate on Kashmir's status.q