UN human rights office has accused military of mass killings, rapes of Rohingya Muslims since October in campaign that ‘very likely’ amounts to crimes against humanity
China, backed by Russia, blocked a short U. N. Security Council statement on Myanmar on Friday, diplomats said, after the 15-member body met to discuss the situation in Rakhine state, where the country’s military is conducting a security operation.
The U. N. human rights office last month accused the military of mass killings and rapes of Rohingya Muslims and burning their villages since October in a campaign that “very likely” amounts to crimes against humanity and possibly ethnic cleansing.
U. N. political affairs chief Jeffrey Feltman briefed the council behind closed doors. Britain requested the meeting.
“We did put forward … some proposed press elements but there was not consensus in the room,” British U. N. Ambassador Matthew Rycroft, president of the council for March, told reporters after the briefing.
