Myanmar’s military has said it is investigating its operations in violence-wracked Rakhine state, where the United Nations has accused troops of waging an ethnic cleansing campaign against Rohingya Muslims. The western region descended into chaos when Rohingya militants attacked Myanmar police posts on August 25, triggering the brutal military crackdown. The army, which has a long history of “scorched-earth” counter-insurgency campaigns, has steadfastly denied the charges – while also blocking independent access to the conflict zone. The army chief has continued to push this view with regular Facebook posts describing the Rohingya as “Bengalis” with no claim to live in Rakhine, despite their long roots in the region. Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace prize laureate, has sparked international dismay for her perceived lack of sympathy towards the Rohingya and unwillingness to condemn alleged atrocities by the army.

Source: Dhaka Tribune October 14, 2017 06:00 UTC