LOC23:15
20:15 GMT
GENEVA, Feb 28 (Kuna) -- The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker expressed deep concern on Friday over the escalating violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State where members of the (Rohingya) Muslim community are being directly targeted by warring parties.
Presenting his report on the human rights situation in Myanmar to the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Turk said that more than 8.000 people fled by sea in 2024 an 80 percent increase compared to the previous year resulting in at least 650 deaths nearly half of whom were children.
He described the situation in Myanmar as one of the worst in the world amid ongoing conflict displacement and economic collapse mentioning several human rights violations since the military coup in 2021 including indiscriminate shelling forced recruitment arbitrary arrests torture and the use of human shields.
Turk also noted that 2024 saw the highest death toll since the coup with at least 1.824 people killed including 531 women and 248 children most of whom were civilians.
He accused the military of conducting airstrikes and artillery shelling on villages and of targeting healthcare facilities reporting over 1500 attacks since the coup which killed 131 healthcare workers.
He also warned that 15 million people are facing hunger this year with two million at risk of famine while 20 million people require humanitarian assistance.
Turk also warned about the sharp economic decline saying that GDP has fallen by 17 percent since 2020 and inflation reaching 30 percent this year.
Turk also emphasized the importance of ending impunity welcoming legal steps taken by the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice in cases related to crimes committed against the Rohingya.
He called on the international community to take measures to protect civilians including imposing an arms embargo and targeted sanctions on individuals and companies linked to the military. (end)
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