UN chief says violence against Myanmar鈥檚 Rohingyas must end

Associated Press
Young Rohingya Muslim refugees look on through a temporary bamboo barricade at the Thankhali refugee camp in Bangladesh's Ukhia district on November 10, 2017. More than 600,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since late August carrying accounts of murder, rape and arson at the hands of Myanmar's powerful army during a military crackdown dubbed as "ethnic cleansing" by the UN. (AFP / Dibyangshu Sarkar)

UNITED NATIONS: Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says it is 鈥渁n absolutely essential priority鈥� to stop all violence against Myanmar鈥檚 Rohingya Muslims, allow them to return to their homes, and determine their legal status.
The UN chief told reporters Friday that the UN is also insisting on 鈥渦nhindered humanitarian access鈥� to all areas of northern Rakhine State, where more than 600,000 Rohingyas lived before fleeing to Bangladesh.
The latest violence began with a series of attacks Aug. 25 by Rohingya insurgents. Myanmar security forces responded with a scorched-earth campaign against Rohingya villages that the UN and human rights groups have called disproportionate and a campaign of ethnic cleansing.
Guterres called the situation 鈥渁n immense tragedy,鈥� saying that the 鈥渓evels of violence and the atrocities committed are something that we cannot be silent about.鈥�