By Radio Australia

August 6, 2014

A court in Myanmar's Rakhine state has extended the detention of a prominent Rohingya human rights activist.

Kyaw Hla Aung was arrested last year by Myanmar police who accused him of instigating protests against government efforts to register Rohingyas as 'Bengali', and not Myanmar citizens.

Human rights organisation Fortify Rights says the case against Kyaw Hla Aung is totally without merit.

Executive director Matthew Smith has told Radio Australia's Asia Pacific the 74-year-old activist's public profile has made him a police target.

"He's been meeting with ambassadors and other people who had visited Rakhine state who were very concerned about the human rights situation there and this, and some of his other activities, exposed him to the Myanmar authorities in a way that we think led to his arrest and detention," Mr Smith said.

"There are some Rohingya who do have connections to the outside world, to areas outside of Rakhine state and internationally, and there are some who have the ability to communicate the plight of Rohingya.

"Kyaw Hla Aung is one of those people."

"He hasn't done anything wrong, hasn't violated any laws, but he's being persecuted because he's a human rights defender."

"We're trying to urge the central government now to intervene because much of the problems with this particular case stem from the local authorities."

How effective that lobbying will be remains to be seen.

Matthew Smith says the Myanmar government routinely denies the very existence of the Rohingya ethnicity, and severe human rights abuses occur daily against the Muslim population, in spite of international condemnation.

But he says Kyaw Hla Aung has been in detention for more than a year and there are concerns for his health and well-being.

"He has suffered from ill-health in the past," he said.

"Rakhine state is a very difficult place to be if you suffer from health problems, and being in prison in Rakhine state is even more difficult.

"This should be reason alone to do something about his incarceration right now."

Fortify Rights says since violence started in 2012, authorities have arrested more than one thousand Rohingya men and boys, and an unknown number remain behind bars.

Matthew Smith says the international community needs to get serious about the severe human rights violations that are persisting in Rakhine state.

"What we're trying to do now is to press upon various actors in the international community to pressure not only Naypidaw, but also the local authorities in Rakhine state, to respect and protect the human rights of the Rohingya community."

Fire at Dar Paing, Sittwe on March 8, 2014

By Radio Australia
March 12, 2014

Thousands of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar still lack health care two weeks after the government ordered the international medical charity MSF to leave Rakhine State.

Reports are now emerging of deaths in the camps housing those displaced by the long-running sectarian violence in the state. 

MSF's operations were suspended late last month when it was accused of prioritising the treatment of the Rohingya community over local Buddhists.

The organisation has since been allowed to resume its work in Myanmar, but not in Rakhine State.

Former US Congressman Tom Andrews has been in the country for a month.

He leads the Washington-based NGO, United to End Genocide, and he's been visiting the camps where displaced Rohingya are struggling to survive.

Correspondent: Karon Snowdon

Speakers: Tom Andrews, former US Congressman and president of the NGO, United to End Genocide 

ANDREWS: The United Nations has described them as the most persecuted people on earth and they are in a very, very desperate situation. Many tens-of-thousands are in, what are called internally displaced persons camps referred to by the people as concentration camps..?

SNOWDON: You visited those camps. Describe the conditions there?

ANDREWS: The people who live there are totally isolated, they have no ability to leave the camps, we're talking over 90-thousand people in a relatively small area. The only way they can get out is if they're heading for boats and I was told that the security will not let them through the gate to go into any kind of a town, but they would turn their back when they hit boats to try to escape. So we're talking last year alone over 30-thousand people escaped on boats. We don't how many survived. We know most of them ended up as victims of human trafficking, but it gives you an idea of the level of desperation.

Some people told me that the international community was their only hope and if we choose not to do anything about they're situation, they said please drop a bomb on us and end it all. I heard that from several people as I toured the camps over a four day period.

SNOWDON: So apart from the lack of health services, what are the general conditions like is there adequate food, water, sanitation, are people getting sick, are people dying?

ANDREWS: Ah, people are getting sick and people are dying. I learnt just last night that the first people to die from the lack of healthcare from this decision to cut off all healthcare to these people have in fact perished, and so the death toll has begun. It's going to mount up by the hour, by the day. I met several people who had conditions that desperately needed medical care, some they were about to run out of they're medication, severe pulmonary conditions, some had AIDS. A man had a very serious gangrene leg, malaria. I mean tens-of-thousands of people have been treated for malaria. These are very serious conditions that require ongoing medical care and in some cases emergency care that simply is not there. People are running out of their medications and they don't know what to do. So what's happening is that they are beginning to die and they're going to continue to die in significant numbers unless this decision is reversed and healthcare is restored.

SNOWDON: On the information you were given recently, were you given numbers, can you be specific if deaths are occurring, do you know how many?

ANDREWS: Ah, I was not given numbers, I was just told and I was again I had been at these camps, I visited many, many people over the course of a four day period and the word is is that some of these people, not a specific number, but in fact some of these people are beginning to die.

SNOWDON: You hope to pressure the Myanmar government to reopen the health clinics at least. What sort of pressure can you hope to bring with any hope of succeeding?

ANDREWS: It's very important for those of us who live abroad in the international community to be paying attention to what has been going on in the shadows. Not only do we have this health crisis, but tensions are mounting here, there's no question about it. I was here last June, I've returned this month and there's a discernible increase in the level of tension, the circulation of hate speech, the intolerance, the bigotry, and I'm afraid that we are one incident away from a major flashpoint and configuration of violence, unless and until this very unfortunate and vicious momentum is turned around. 

I mean the key to that again is the attention being paid by the international community. We need eyes on the ground here, we need a vigorous response from governments around the world, we simply need to have a full court press as it were by the international community to impress upon the government of this country that taking care of the people who are now dying because of a lack of healthcare, but even more importantly, protecting the lives of tens-of-thousands, if not hundreds-of-thousands of vulnerable people is imperative if the progress is going to continue to integrate this country into the international community.

SNOWDON: But it's going to take, as you say, government pressure isn't it, international government pressure. Because I would suggest there has already been quite a lot of light shone on this issue internationally, the plight of the Rohingyas, the government doesn't seem really to be taking much notice?

ANDREWS: No, that's exactly right. There has to be an increase in the level of pressure on governments. I mean one of the unfortunate narratives here is that well, things are much better than they were years ago. Right it's not happening overnight, the progress we'd like to see, but we must have patience. And in fact, just the opposite is occurring, particularly with respect to the plight of the Rohingya, things are going in the wrong direction, things are getting worse and a level of danger here is getting much, much worse, rather than better.

SNOWDON: Is there any local support for the your groups actions in Myanmar?

ANDREWS: You know, I'll tell you there's a lot, people tell me this is very good, but they also tell me that they are very, very nervous about speaking out. There is a high level of intimidation. I know I've been followed by intelligence agents here in the country, there's a great degree of fear.

By Radio Australia

January 6, 2014

A former secretary general of ASEAN says he hopes Myanmar's new role as chairman of ASEAN will draw attention to the plight of the country's Rohingya Muslim minority.

Myanmar has begun its chairmanship of the regional grouping for 2014, symbolising the country's re-entry to the global community.

But the issue of human rights is hanging over its head, namely abuses against the ethnic Rohingya minority.

Reporter: Tom Maddocks

Speakers: Dr Surin Pitsuwan, former Secretary General of ASEAN, now Professor Emeritus at Thammasat University; Moe Thuzar, ISEAS Fellow at the ASEAN Studies Centre of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies

By Radio Australia

December 6, 2013

Since her release from house arrest three years ago, Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been touring the world as a symbol of the country's transition to democracy.

She's been asking governments and the public to back her country's push for democratic reform.. but she's also facing pressure over the issue of the country's Rohingya Muslim minority.

The rights group has Amnesty International this week launched a campaign to free a community leader and prisoner of conscience, Dr Tun Aung from detention in Myanmar.

Reporter: Auskar Surbakti

Speaker: Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar democracy advocate; Mark Farmaner; Director, Burma Campaign UK; Isabelle Arradon, Amnesty International; U Shwe Maung, Myanmar MP; Christopher Lamb, Australia Myanmar Institute

AUSKAR SURBAKTI: While Aung San Suu Kyi is celebrated as a democracy icon, she's now also facing questions about the treatment of Myanmar's ethnic minorities.. particularly Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state, which has been racked by sectarian violence between Buddhists and Muslims. In her recent visit to Australia, Ms Suu Kyi expressed her frustration over the issue during an interview with the ABC's 7.30 program.

AUNG SAN SUU KYI: I would like people who are calling on me to speak out to say - call on the Government to establish rule of law. Why has rule of law not been established in Rakhine? If we could put on end to the violence, if we could make sure that there is no further outbreak of violence, we could get those two communities to sort out their differences.

AUSKAR SURBAKTI: Human rights groups say Rohingya Muslims are being persecuted by some of the Buddhist majority and accuse authorities of turning a blind eye to the violence. The director of Burma Campaign UK, Mark Farmaner, says Aung San Suu Kyi isn't doing enough to speak-out in support of the minorty group.

MARK FARMANER: Aung San Suu Kyi is unique in the country in that she does have moral authority and she would be able to influence an awful lot of people, not some of the most extreme people, but her words would carry weight and she needs to go beyond saying that she condemns all violence and very specifically challenging those extreme nationalists who are promoting hatred and violence in the country.

AUSKAR SURBAKTI: There are also claims authorities are wrongly detaining Rohingya Muslims in the wake of religious violence. Amnesty International says one such man, Dr Tun Aung, is serving 17 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit: inciting a riot in Rakhine last June. The group's Asia-Pacific deputy director, Isabelle Arradon, says authorities are using Dr Aung as a scapegoat.

ISABELLE ARRADON: All the information we could find simply proves that Dr Tun Aung had done nothing, except for actually trying to calm the situation, which is why Amnesty International considers that he is a prisoner of conscience and that he should be released unconditionally and at the same time he's suffering from a medical condition, so for a 60-year-old man it is a very long sentence, especially as he has done nothing.

AUSKAR SURBAKTI: Rakhine member of parliament, U Shwe Maung, who's one of Myanmar's few Rohingya politicians has also been campaigning for Dr Tun Aung's release. The MP says it's just another example of the ongoing persecution of the minority.. which under the current constitution isn't classified as an indigenous group, barring Rohingya's from citizenship. U Shwe Maung says when Rohingyas are treated as equals, the violence will subside.

U SHWE MAUNG: If government could issue citizenship cards in the Rakhine state to Rohingya, the problem will be solved. The problem is, since Immigration Department is hesitating to issue citizenship cards, then a lot of suspiscion, a lot of accusations are going on. If government decided by history of our rights, it's very clear: government can issue it.

AUSKAR SURBAKTI: But one analyst says the there's no official discrimination against the Rohingya and says Myanmar's government is working to address their plight. The president of the Australia Myanmar Institute and a former Australian Ambassador to Myanmar, Christopher Lamb says human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and Burma Campaign UK are ignoring those efforts.

CHRISTOPHER LAMB: The organisations that you mentioned are waging a campaign without referring really to what's being done now. When government leaders meet the leaders from Myanmar they raise the issue of the Rohingya, they also have their own national human rights commission, which is interested in the subject and has it on its agenda. What we will also see during 2014 when Myanmar has the chair of ASEAN, a lot of ASEAN meetings taking place in Myanmar, all of them will have the Rohingya issue somewhere in their agenda.

Government restrictions on movement that are imposed only on the Muslim minority population are having a severe impact on the community's health. Myanmar (Burma) 2013 © Kaung Htet/MSF

By Radio Australia

October 18, 2013

In Myanmar's troubled Rakhine state, minority Muslims live under apartheid-like conditions, housed in temporary camps and segregated from the majority Buddhist population.

This has led to a health care crisis as Muslims are subject to strict movement restrictions and local hospitals are known to refuse to treat them.

Presenter:Jared Ferrie

Speaker: Vickie Hawkins, the deputy head of mission, Medecines Sans Frontiers; Myint Aung, villager

FERRIE: In townships around the Rakhine capital of Sittwe, Muslims who need serious medical attention must wait hours and even days before being able to visit the one hospital that will treat them. They are not allowed to visit local hospitals. Instead they must travel to Sittwe General Hospital, which has a special ward for Muslims.

But Muslims are not allowed to travel freely, so aid agencies like Medecines Sans Frontiers must negotiate with local authorities to transport each individual. This can create delays and it's already costed lives, says Vickie Hawkins, the deputy head of mission.

HAWKINS: teams have returned to the field the following day to find the patient has died overnight.

FERRIE: Part of the reason township hospitals won't treat Muslims is that medical staff are afraid.

HAWKINS: We do know of instances where patients have attempted to get into township hospitals or township hospitals have attempted to treat Muslim patients and have been threatened on the basis of it.

FERRIE: Rakhine state has been wracked by clashes between Muslims and Buddhists that first broke out in June last year, and have left more than 140,000 homeless. Most of the displaced are Muslims.

HAWKINS: Important to note that those were communities that had access to the public health care system prior to the violence, but now due to movement restrictions no longer have that access.

FERRIE: The health crisis currently affects only townships around Sittwe, which saw the worst clashes.Mobs started forming in the main town of Thandwe and attacked Muslims in five villages. Police were dispatched but they weren't always successful in protecting the Muslims, according to Myint Aung whose home in Tha Phyu Chai village was burnt to the ground.

MYINT AUNG: Soldier gave the order all of the Muslim have to stay in their home, they will take the action for them, nobody should go out. So all of them, they are hidden in their home.

After that Buddhist mob burnt their houses and destroyed their houses.

FERRIE: Five Muslims were killed in the violence, including an elderly couple in Tha Phyu Chiang who were slashed with machetes.

MYINT AUNG: The man is over 80 years old and the woman over 90 years old. They couldn't run away.

FERRIE: Muslims injured in the violence in Thandwe did receive treatment in township hospitals. But MSF's Victoria Hawkins is worried that they could be denied health care in the future if violence continues.

HAWKINS:: What I would be very concerned about is if health facilities start to come in for the same kind of intimidation or abuse as they do in the areas around Sittwe. The government needs to prevent that from happening.

FERRIE: The government is worried too about the spread of violence in Rakhine. As Muslim homes were burning in Thandwe earlier this month, President Thein Sein visited several communities and pleaded with Buddhist and Muslim leaders to keep the peace.

Radio Australia

July 12, 2013

Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr says Australia won't use foreign aid as a bargaining tool with Myanmar, despite being "apprehensive" about the future of the country's minority Rohingya Muslim population.

Senator Carr has raised their plight during talks with the government in Naypyidaw, but he's ruled out accepting large numbers of Rohingyas as refugees, even though they are not considered to be citizens of Myanmar.

Presenter: Naomi Woodley

Speaker: Bob Carr, Australian Foreign Minister

BOB CARR: Australia takes a keen interest in their plight and in the need for reconciliation and harmony within this part of Myanmar.

NAOMI WOODLEY: How was that message received by the different political groups in Myanmar?

BOB CARR: Well, the representatives of the government pointed to the efforts they had made to bring communities back together and promote tolerance. They emphasised that education and the development of opportunities across all the ethnic groups in Rakhine state would be vital to longer term success.

We, for our part, are able to talk about the humanitarian assistance we provided in that state. I've announced an increase of $3.2 million going towards the emergency accommodation required but I've got to say, after spending the day in Yangon talking to our representatives of the Rohingya people and to representatives of a group at odds with them, the Arakan League for Democracy and the Rakhine Nationalities Democratic Party* that I'm pretty apprehensive.

NAOMI WOODLEY: Given Aung San Suu Kyi's special status across the world as really a symbol of peaceful struggle and the pursuit of democracy and rights, are you disappointed that she hasn't taken a more aggressive stance on this?

BOB CARR: I wouldn't criticise any of the political leadership of Myanmar. I'd simply highlight that this is an extraordinarily difficult problem. It goes back to colonial times and earlier. As the minister for reconciliation said to me, he said we've got 11 armed ethnic groups and we've got 135 recognised ethnic groups.

NAOMI WOODLEY: Australia is one of the largest contributors of aid towards Myanmar. How quickly are we going to get to a point where the Australian Government would start to look at aid or make aid contingent on some action being taken towards resolving this particular tension?

BOB CARR: Yeah, this is such a wretchedly poor country, we couldn't do that. Our simple humanitarian instincts require that we go on giving aid while, with the credibility that gives us and being seen as something of a champion of Myanmar, we will continue to press with the government and with opposition leadership the plight of the Rohingya.

NAOMI WOODLEY: But then how do you make that message effective because this is a problem that has been growing in seriousness. It is a deep seated problem. So if you're not going to use the sharp end of aid, how does Australia adequately convey this message in a way that will see some action taken?

BOB CARR: Well, Myanmar does care about the way the world perceives it. It does desperately need an inflow of investment dollars to lift the living standards of its people, to see more people move into employment and to see more people liberated from rural poverty.

I think it does care that the headlines around the world these days about ethnic and sectarian tensions in Rakhine province and not about the fact that the government has concluded peace agreements, ceasefires with 11 armed ethnic groups, which is an awe inspiring achievement and one the country can truly be proud of.

TONY EASTLEY: That's the Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr, who's been in Myanmar for the last couple of days. He was speaking to AM's Naomi Woodley.

Radio Australia

June 14, 2013

European MPs have jointly condemned the violence against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims, and called on the government to do more to protect them.

The European Parliament has passed a motion saying it condemns the grave violations of human rights against the Muslim minority in Rakhine state.

The motion says it "deplores the failure of the Myanmar government to protect the Rohingyas against organised violence."

The Rohingya diaspora has welcomed the motion, but has also called for an international investigation into what they call a 'genocide'.

Presenter: Sen Lam

Speaker: Nurul Islam, president, Arakan Rohingya National Organisation, London

NURUL ISLAM: This is very encouraging and we're very much thankful to the European parliament for adopting this resolution, and we take it as a proper encouragement for the Rohingyah people.

LAM: Do you think it might improve the situation for them?

NURUL ISLAM: No, it depends actually... we hope so, but the Burmese government is very much uncompromising, sometimes, in the case of the Rohingya people, that's what we're afraid of. It is time for the international and the investigation is necessary, in fact. That is very important, because there's an Enquiry Commission formed internally by the Burmese government, but it is completely biased. The world knows it. And that will not bring any solution.

The recommendation given by the internal commission, is against the Rohingya people. And there're lots of reports by the credible international organisations, like Human Rights Watch and there's evidence of mass graves in Arakan (Rakhine state). But these are needed to be investigated, for these and other things, like the great humanitarian crisis that's existing. And the segregation that's going on there, apartheid policy has been imposed. And the two-child policy - this is a very discriminatory policy that has been imposed.

We need international intervention, with a UN Commission of Enquiry. We would prefer to call it a 'genocide' because the intention to destroy our people is very much established. In that sense, you can consider it a case of genocide. With international jurisdiction - for these, even the responsibility to protect these people is an international responsibility - we in the international communities. In that sense, the international community should intervene and the (Rohingya) peoples are protected.

LAM: Senior monks in Yangon have called for peace at a monastery in Yangon. Do you think the Buddhist clergy is doing enough to curb anti-Muslim, and particularly, anti-Rohingya violence?

NURUL ISLAM: They can have discussions on this but the way they're going, to do things. Who's leading the controversial 'nine-six-nine' movement? This is a movement against the Rohingya people in particular, and the Muslims in general. Until now, although this 'nine-sixty-nine movement' has done many injuries. Although it is injurious to the Muslim community, the government has until now, taken no action against them.

Whatever changes, whatever democratic reforms take place in the country, it is important that good sense prevails in the minds of the government, number one.

Number two, this is the good sense prevailing in the minds of the majority Buddhis community, and then, the democratic and the parliamentary and political process in the country should be all-inclusive, and the Rohingya must be a part of it, otherwise, we don't hold hope or change the circumstances of the Rohingya people. Because, you know, we are a people, with a history and glorious past.

We are not a floating people or infiltrators from foreign countries, as they (the government) allege. But we have our roots deeply-rooted in Arakan (Rakhine state) and therefore, to Burma. So our citizenship rights and our ethnic rights must be guaranteed, must be ensured in Burma.

Radio Australia

April 30, 2013

Plans to control the birth rate of Muslim Rohingyas in Myanmar has been described as "chilling".

A Myanmar Government Commission report has recommended a family planning program be implemented to curb the growth of the country's Muslim Rohingyas.

The region has been plagued by ethnic clashes between the Buddhist majority and Muslim minority.

Fighting over the past year has left hundreds dead and tens-of -thousands homeless.

The Commission found that the high birth rate of Rohingya has been a factor in the tensions.

It also recommends sending more troops into troubled regions to quell the violence.

But Human Rights Watch says the recommendations are disturbing and will only increase tensions.

Phil Robertson says Government troops are guilty of stoking the flames of racial hatred in the fledgling democracy.

"Human Rights Watch released a report last week documenting that security forces had been involved in ethnic cleansing against humanity and crimes against humanity, against the Rohingya in Arakan State."

And he believes the idea of population control has insidious undertones.

"When you talk about one ethnic group trying to limit the population growth og another ethnic group. Even though it's voluntary, nevertheless, it is very chilling."

Rohingya leaders also say they weren't consulted by the Government Commission and their views aren't represented in the report.

The Commission report also recommends that Muslim Rohingya be segregated from Buddhists but it acknowledges that is not a permanent solution to the problem.

There are reportedly 800,000 Muslim Rohingyas in Myanmar but the Government regards them as illegal immigrants.

(Photo: AP)

Radio Australia

April 12, 2013

United Nations Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Myanmar, Vijay Nambiar, says the government is committed to reform and resolving the issue of Rohingya statelessness.

Myanmar's progress towards democracy has been heralded around the world, but recent violence against ethnic minorities has caused the country's human rights to be questioned. 

Despite this, Mr Nambia has told Newsline the country's reform agenda is "on track" and the government wants to address the issue of citizenship. 

"I would say that these latest developments have been a reminder of what still needs to be done, and the fragility of the process, but there is determination in the government to carry this process of reform forward," Mr Nambiar said.

"I don't know whether we can say that the entire situation in the country has been deteriorating," he said. "I think broadly the reform process is on track."

The Myanmar government has regarded Rohingya Muslims as illegal immigrants who emigrated from Bangladesh, despite living in Myanmar for generations.

Recent sectarian violence between the country's majority Buddhists and minority Muslims has exposed the distrust between the two communities, with dozens killed and thousands displaced.

In March, Myanmar's Presidential spokesman, U Ye Htut, dismissed calls that the government should grant citizenship to the thousands of Rohingya still regarded as illegal immigrants.

But Mr Nambiar says positive steps are being made to resolve the dispute.

"The government, particularly the minister for immigration, is keen on looking at the larger question of citizenship."

"I think they are conscious that they need to come out with both temporary and long term measures to address this question."

The Rohingya are widely regarded as one of the most persecuted ethnic groups in the world.

Monsoon preparations

Mr Nambiar is also confident the government has taken on board concerns that refugee camps housing Rohingya won't survive the monsoon season.

"The government seems to be keen on looking at the humanitarian aspect on the one hand, because the monsoons are going to come very soon and the shelters which have already been constructed need to be strengthened and made somewhat permanent," he said.

Myanmar's Presidential spokesman, U Ye Htut, previously dismissed UN reports that the camps sheltering 120,000 people were inadequate.

Radio Australia

March 19, 2013

Myanmar has dismissed a United Nations report calling for urgent action to protect tens of thousands of Rohingya this monsoon season.

Myanmar has dismissed a United Nations report calling for urgent action to protect tens of thousands of Rohingya this monsoon season.

Presidential spokesman U Ye Htut has told Australia Network's Newsline program the shelter at camps holding an estimated 120,000 Rohingya is adequate.

"I think most of the people are still living in the camp but they have enough shelter and food supply for the rainy season," he said.

United Nations Special Rapporteur Tomás Ojea Quintana says in his report he is concerned the camps will flood in a few months time and recommends Rohingya be integrated into communities.

"The coming rainy season in May, which will flood many of these camps, further increases the urgency of relocation in order to avoid a humanitarian disaster," he said.

Myanmar's Rakhine state suffered two bouts of deadly sectarian violence last year between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims.

The fighting has divided the community and led to the Rohingya being separated into temporary camps.

Granting citizenship

Myanmar has reaffirmed Rohingya won't be given special treatment or granted citizenship, despite increased pressure from the United Nations.

Mr Ye Htut says thousands of stateless Rohingya must meet government criteria to get citizenship.

"Every people who have met the criteria of citizenship will have the citizenship," he said.

"But there's still many illegal immigrants in that area, and we have to solve that problem."

United Nations Special Rapporteur Tomás Ojea Quintana is urging Myanmar to address "shortcomings" with the country's human rights situation, particularly regarding the Rohingya population.

"The Government must establish the truth about what happened in Rakhine state during the two waves of communal violence last June and October, and hold those responsible for human rights violations to account," he said.

Radio Australia

January 29, 2013

A Burmese academic and human rights activist has resigned from his position at a Brunei university, complaining of censorship.

Dr Maung Zarni says the University Brunei Darussalam has "punished" him for speaking out about the violence between mainly-Muslim Rohingyas and mainly-Buddhist ethnic Rakhine in Burma.

Presenter: Liam Cochrane

Speaker: Dr Maung Zarni, visiting fellow at London School of Economics