The Stateless Rohingya Blog

File photo of Yanghee Lee, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burma (PHOTO: Reuters) By   Jacob Robinson October 31, 2014 UN Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee has expressed concern about “possible signs of backtracking” that could undermine Burma’s reform process, according to a UN press statement released yesterday which highlighted some key points of Ms. Lee’s speech to the UN General Assembly about Burma’s human rights situation. Ms. Lee’s speech on 28 October was designed to inform the UN General Assembly about the findings contained in her report about human rights issues in Burma. The report—which was released on 23 September—said that Burma’s “far reaching reforms have dramatically transformed the political, economic, social and human rights landscape…since the establishment of the new Government.” But during her speech Ms. Lee also said, “more is required if gains are to be genuine, sustainable and win the support of the people of Myanmar [

US President urges Myanmar leader to support civil and political rights of the stateless Rohingya Muslims minority. Burmese President Thein Sein meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama in Yangon 2012 Photo (AFP) US President Barack Obama has urged Myanmar's president to address ethnic tensions in his country, while also discussing political reforms with the opposition leader. The White House said Obama had separate telephone conversations on Thursday with President Thein Sein and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, ahead of a second presidential visit to Myanmar next month. His visit in mid-November comes amid growing US concerns about human rights abuses in Myanmar, including the jailing of journalists and alleged oppression of stateless Rohingya Muslims and other ethnic minorities caught in conflict with government troops. Obama urged Sein to take additional steps to address ethnic tensions and support the civil and political rights of the Rohingyas. T