Yangon: A UNhuman rights expert kicked off a weeklong visit to Myanmar on Monday by focusing on deadly strife between Buddhists and Muslim Rohingyas that shook a western area in June.
Tomas Ojea Quintana’s met with Myanmar’s minister of border affairs for a briefing on the situation in northwestern Rakhine state. At least 78 people were killed in communal violence there last month. Quintana plans to visit the area on Tuesday and told reporters he would reserve comment until after his trip.
Myanmar does not recognise the Rohingya as one of its ethnic groups and many in the country consider the Rohingya to be illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
The UN says there are about 800,000 Rohingya in Myanmar and considers them to be among the most persecuted people in the world.
Quintana’s evaluation is likely to be regarded as a yardstick for measuring reforms undertaken by elected President Thein Sein after decades of repressive military rule. His trip will also include meetings with Aung San Suu Kyi and government officials. (AP)