Arakan News Agency
Ban Ki-Moon says Myanmar must address the underlying causes of conflict between Buddhists and Muslims or its reform process will suffer
UNITED NATIONS – The head of the United Nations called on Myanmar to address the exclusion of Rohingya Muslims from a controversial census, warning that its much-vaunted reform process will suffer if root causes remain unresolved.
“For the first time in decades, Myanmar will have data to help address key social indicators. However, some segments of the population were excluded from this vital census especially in Kachin and Rakhine states. These issues will need to be addressed in a genuinely inclusive and constructive way in the near future,” said Ban on Friday, September 26.
The UN chief was speaking at the Meeting of the Partnership Group on Myanmar held in New York at the sidelines of the annual debate of the UN General Assembly.
The UN has described the Rohingya as one of the most persecuted minorities in the world. The Rohingya live under apartheid-like conditions, and need to ask permission to move from their villages or camps after they were displaced in deadly clashes with ethnic Rakhine Buddhists in 2012, Reuters said.
