NAYPYITAW, Myanmar: Rights groups are critical of Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s defense of her country’s conduct in violence that has driven out more than 400,000 Rohingya Muslims, but some observers are glad that she invited diplomats to travel to northern Rakhine state to see for themselves.
Suu Kyi said Tuesday that most Muslims within the conflict zone stayed and that “more than 50 percent of their villages were intact.”
She says the government is working to restore normalcy. Rohingya, however, blame government forces for driving them out.
Amnesty International regional director James Gomez accused Suu Kyi of “a mix of untruths and victim-blaming.”
But Andrew Kirkwood of the United Nations’ Office for Project services said it was positive that Suu Kyi welcomed the international community to parts of northern Rakhine.
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Rights groups critical of Myanmar leader’s Rohingya speech
Rights groups critical of Myanmar leader’s Rohingya speech
South Africa to withdraw its troops from UN peacekeeping mission in Congo
- South Africa to withdraw its troops from UN peacekeeping mission in Congo
JOHANNESBURG: South Africa will withdraw its troops from the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office said in a statement late on Saturday.
Ramaphosa has told UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the decision, which was influenced by the need to “realign” the resources of South Africa’s armed forces, the statement said.
South Africa has supported UN peacekeeping efforts in Congo for 27 years and has more than 700 soldiers deployed there.
The UN mission had a total of nearly 11,000 troops and police deployed when its mandate was extended in December.
The UN mission’s mandate is to counter the many rebel groups active in Congo’s restive east, where conflict has raged for decades and where there has been a recent escalation in fighting.
“South Africa will work jointly with the UN to finalize the timelines and other modalities of the withdrawal, which will be completed before the end of 2026,” the statement added.
South Africa will continue to maintain close bilateral ties with Congo’s government and support other multilateral efforts to bring lasting peace to Congo, Ramaphosa’s office said.
Ramaphosa has told UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the decision, which was influenced by the need to “realign” the resources of South Africa’s armed forces, the statement said.
South Africa has supported UN peacekeeping efforts in Congo for 27 years and has more than 700 soldiers deployed there.
The UN mission had a total of nearly 11,000 troops and police deployed when its mandate was extended in December.
The UN mission’s mandate is to counter the many rebel groups active in Congo’s restive east, where conflict has raged for decades and where there has been a recent escalation in fighting.
“South Africa will work jointly with the UN to finalize the timelines and other modalities of the withdrawal, which will be completed before the end of 2026,” the statement added.
South Africa will continue to maintain close bilateral ties with Congo’s government and support other multilateral efforts to bring lasting peace to Congo, Ramaphosa’s office said.
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