Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi picked former United Nations chief Kofi Annan on Wednesday to lead a commission to stop human rights abuses in Rakhine State, where violence between Buddhists and minority Rohingya Muslims has cast a pall over democratic reforms.
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“The Myanmar government wants to find a sustainable solution on the complicated issues in Rakhine State; that’s why it has formed an advisory commission”, the government said in a statement released by Aung San Suu Kyi’s office.
Suu Kyi has, however, enforced the notion that the root of many of Rakhine’s problems are economic, and is encouraging investment in the area, which in turn her National League for Democracy hopes will lead to reconciliation between the Buddhist and Muslim communities.
The foundation will assist the commission, according to the statement.
Rohingya Muslims have lived in the northwestern Rakhine state for generations but are denied citizenship because they are considered outsiders.
The panel of nine comprises six Myanmar citizens and three foreigners and is expected to publish a report within a year of its formation. More than 100 people, mostly Rohingya, were killed in clashes with members of Myanmar’s Buddhist majority in 2012.
Thousands have fled persecution and poverty in an exodus by boat to neighbouring South and Southeast Asian countries.
In May, during a visit by US Secretary of State John Kerry, Aung San Suu Kyi asked for “space” to let the tensions settle, adding that use of the term Rohingya would only fuel tensions.
The body will examine worldwide aspects of the situation, including the background of those seeking refugee status overseas.
The commission will undertake meetings with all relevant stakeholders, worldwide experts and foreign dignitaries to hear their views and to find the best possible solution to prevailing problems, it said. The previous military-backed government was openly resentful of outside interest, and Suu Kyi’s administration, which took power at the end of March, had seemed barely more responsive.
The commission will also undertake assessments and make recommendations by focusing on conflict prevention, humanitarian assistance, rights and reconciliation, institution building and promotion of development of Rakhine.
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In June Suu Kyi sought to placate Buddhist nationalists by ordering officials to refer to the group only as “Muslims of Rakhine State”. She is barred by the constitution from becoming president, but for all intent and purposes has been the country’s leader since her party won elections in November 2015 and replaced a quasi-civilian government controlled by the military.
