UN Human Rights Chief Says Myanmar's Junta Access To Weapons And Cash Must Be Cut Off

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk. (Twitter/@volker_turk)

JAKARTA - The international community must take "targeted actions" to cut off Myanmar's junta's access to weapons, jet fuel and foreign currencies, in order to prevent the junta from committing "cruelty" to the public, the head of UN human rights said on Friday.

"I repeat calls on the international community to refocus its energy in preventing atrocities against everyone in the country, including the Rohingya," UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Turk told the Human Rights Council in Geneva, referring to Myanmar's military junta. March 1.

He further said countries should "end military access to weapons, jet fuels and foreign currencies needed to maintain a campaign of repression of civilians."

Myanmar is known to have been hit by chaos, since the military seized power from the elected government in a coup in 2021.

Meanwhile, Rohingya Muslims have faced persecution in Myanmar, the majority of whom are Buddhists for decades, nearly one million of whom live in overcrowded camps in the Cox's Bazar border district in Bangladesh. Most of them fled the military crackdown in 2017.

Myanmar's military rulers view Rohingya as foreign smugglers and refuse to give them citizenship.

"After decades of systematic discrimination, oppression, massive forced transfer and other serious human rights violations, Rohingya residents are currently still being imprisoned in internment villages and camps," Turk explained.

Bangladeshi authorities last month said they would no longer allow Rohingya refugees from Myanmar to enter their country, as helping large numbers of refugees already there threaten their own security.

"My office has received many reliable reports, hundreds of Rohingya residents who fled violence have been prevented from entering Bangladesh," Turk said.

"I urge all member states to ensure the protection of international refugees for those fleeing persecution and conflict in Myanmar," he exclaimed.