PHL rejects UN resolution decrying rights violations against Rohingya

The Philippines has voted against to a United Nations' human rights body resolution condemning the violations of Rohingya Muslim minority's rights in Myanmar.

Of the member-countries who cast their votes, only two voted no –the Philippines and China; 37 voted yes; and seven abstained.

#HRC42 Council adopts res. on situation of #humanrights of #Rohingya Muslims & other minorities in #Myanmar, urges its gov. to sustain the democratic transition, by bringing all national institutions, incl. the military, under democratically elected civilian Gov. 37 y 2 n 7 abst. pic.twitter.com/xZtM6M7R9t

— HRC SECRETARIAT (@UN_HRC) September 26, 2019

The UN Human Rights Council resolution "expresses grave concern at continuing reports of serious human rights violations and abuses in Myanmar."

UN Resolution on Rohingya by GMA News Online on Scribd

Periodic human rights review on Myanmar indicated that violations inflicted on the Rohingya minority include arbitrary arrests, torture and other forms of degrading treatment or punishment, forced labor, use of school buildings by the military, violence against women and children, violations of the rights to freedom of religion, expression, and assembly, and the forced displacement of Rohingya Muslims.

In the resolution, the UN urges the Myanmar government to allow the "voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable" return of the Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority in Myanmar.

Also the UNHRC report indicates that around a million Rohingya people have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh to escape alleged military atrocities since August 2017, an exodus which the UN has called the "world's fastest-growing refugee crisis."

Philippine government's rejection of the UN on Rohingya runs counter to President Rodrigo Duterte's goodwill gesture last February when he offered Filipino citizenship to Rohingya refugees as he reiterated his willingness to accept them into the country.

“I am willing to accept Rohingyas. ‘Yung talagang walang mapuntahan tatanggapin ko ‘yan, gawain kong Pilipino,” he said.

In April 2018, Duterte even said "genocide” has been taking place against Rohingya refugees, drawing Myanmar's bitter response asking Duterte to shut his mouth for knowing nothing about their country.

Duterte later apologized to Myanmar’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi for saying genocide was taking place in her country and clarified that he was hitting out at European countries which had accused Myanmar of human rights violations, but did little to help the Rohingya. —LBG, GMA News