UN rights chief warns Myanmar elections under military control 'can be neither free, nor fair'

HAMILTON, Canada

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Tuesday warned that Myanmar's elections under military control will only fuel more violence, as the plight of the Rohingya and other minorities reaches its worst point in decades.

"Today, life in Myanmar, especially in Rakhine State, may be the worst it has ever been for the Rohingya and other minorities, marking another grim chapter in a long history of persecution," Türk said at a High-Level Conference on the situation of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities.

He stressed that the conference "must send a clear signal that this injustice is at the top of the global political agenda" and become "a turning point for the Rohingya, for the international community to take action and devise a lasting solution to their plight."

Türk stated that, since November 2023, fighting in Rakhine has intensified, with the military launching "aerial attacks against civilians across Rakhine" and committing "grave violations of human rights and atrocity crimes, including deliberately killing civilians, destroying civilian property, arbitrarily detaining and torturing people, and forcibly conscripting them into its ranks."

"Some of the images and videos in northern Rakhine from the second half of 2024 are reminiscent of the atrocities of 2017," he added, noting reports of severe restrictions on movement, communication blackouts and mass displacement.

According to Türk, "all these conditions have displaced over 3.5 million people within the country and pushed an additional 150,000 Rohingya to Bangladesh since January 2024."

He condemned military-organized elections, warning: "Elections held under these conditions can be neither free nor fair. For example, Rohingya will not be able to vote because they have been deprived arbitrarily of their citizenship. Ethnic Rakhine parties have been disqualified from running."

"The way out of this crisis is through de-escalation, protection of civilians, dialogue, and humanitarian access, not elections," Türk stressed, and urged an end to arms flows into Myanmar, sustained financial support for refugees and accountability for atrocities.

"The violence, the extreme deprivation and the massive violations of human rights have fueled a crisis of grave international concern," he said. "The international community must honor its responsibilities and act."