UN urges Myanmar to create conditions for Rohingya return

UNITED NATIONS (AP) – The U.N. Security Council is urging Myanmar’s government to step up efforts to create conditions allowing Rohingya Muslims who fled a violent crackdown to safely return to the country from neighboring Bangladesh.

The council stressed in a statement following closed briefing Monday that progress is also needed by Myanmar on implementing agreements on relations with the U.N. refugee and development agencies and with Bangladesh on returning the Rohingya.

Council members also stressed “the importance of undertaking transparent and independent investigations in allegations of human rights abuses and violations.”

New U.N. special envoy Christine Schraner Burgener said Myanmar’s leaders want to bring the Rohingya back to Rakhine state, but there are not only divisions between the government and Rohingya, but also between that Muslim minority and the country’s mostly Buddhist population.