UN rights envoy in Cox's Bazar to meet Rohingyas

Visiting UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar Yanghee Lee arrived here on Friday afternoon on a three-day visit to see rights situation of Rohingyas living in the district. She arrived here around 2:30pm but there have been no activities on the day as her lone meeting with the DC was postponed. Lee, who arrived here on Thursday on a weeklong visit vowing to fulfill her mandate despite the Myanmar government's refusal to work with her, will visit Rohingya camps from Saturday to meet with Rohingyas and community leaders, reports UNB.

The Special Rapporteur, after her Bangladesh visit until January 24, will visit Thailand where she will stay till January 30. In Thailand, she will visit Bangkok, Mae Sot and Chiang Mai, according to a statement UNB received here from Geneva on Tuesday.

"The government (of Myanmar) has accused me of bias, while at the same time denying that human rights violations have taken place in Myanmar," Lee said. "I would ask the authorities to rethink their position, and to put the victims first.

The UN envoy said she is determined to carry on - to the best of her ability - this very important task of helping the victims of human rights violations and abuses in Myanmar, as mandated to her by the United Nations system.

"I have a responsibility to speak on behalf of these victims, and I will not be deterred. This is why I am going ahead to visit neighbouring countries to reach out as far as possible to all victims and witnesses to learn of their experience." Following her visit, the human rights experts will present a report to the Human Rights Council in March 2018.

-AA News Desk