FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Kofi Annan's role in Rakhine State welcomed

Kofi Annan's role in Rakhine State welcomed

The establishment of a high-level commission headed by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is a welcome step towards addressing the human rights situation in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, Amnesty International said today.

“Today’s announcement is a sign that Myanmar’s authorities are taking the situation in Rakhine state seriously. But it will only have been a worthwhile exercise if it paves the way for the realisation of human rights for all people in the state,” said Rafendi Djamin, Amnesty International’s Director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
The rights group urged the commission to investigate decades of discrimination against minorities in Rakhine state, ensure accountability, recommend reparations, and lead efforts at reconciliation.
Myanmar announced the establishment of the committee today and Annan accepted the invitation. 
The commission is composed of three international members and six from Myanmar, including representatives from the Buddhist and Muslim communities.
“The inclusion of international members should highlight how the situation goes beyond Myanmar’s borders. But the commission would have benefited from the presence of Myanmar’s other ethnic and religious minorities, such as the Rohingya,” said Djamin.
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