'Ongoing genocide' underway against Rohingya in Myanmar: United Nations

A United Nations fact-finding team has claimed that Myanmar was still continuing with the genocide of Rohingya Muslims. 

Calling for a probe by the International Criminal Court, the team presented a report at the Security Council on Wednesday. 

The team had first disclosed the 444-page report to the public last month. 

The fact-finding team which also proposed for the creation of an ad hoc international criminal tribunal stated that the conflict in Myanmar has resulted in the killing of 10,000 Rohingyas and the destruction of some 390 villages. 

The report asked for the investigation of Myanmar's top general including Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing for the genocide in Rakhine State.

Marzuki Darusman, chair of the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar said that beyond mass killings, the conflict included the ostracization of the targeted population, prevention of births, and widespread displacement in camps.

"It is an ongoing genocide, We consider the genocide intent can be reasonably inferred".

"The conditions are not in place for a safe, dignified and sustainable return of the Rohingyas in Bangladesh," he warned, adding any attempt would just risk more deaths. 

He also said that Myanmar's internal investigation had "proven to be ineffective failures".

Myanmar has rejected accusations that its military committed atrocities in the crackdown last year that forced 720,000 Rohingya to flee over the border to Bangladesh. The country claims that the violence in Rakhine was triggered by Rohingya extremists who had attacked the border posts in August 2017.

Rejecting the UN mission's finding the Myanmar government also questioned its independence and pointed out that it was an independent investigative commission made up of Asian diplomats. 

The Security Council team was called by the Western powers but was opposed by China and Russia. 

(With inputs from agencies)