China urged other governments on Thursday to “constructively
help” Myanmar and Bangladesh resolve the fate of Rohingya Muslims
“instead of complicating the issue” after Myanmar blocked a visit by
United Nations human rights official.
Events in Rakhine
state, where more than 630,000 Rohingya fled a military crackdown, are
an internal affair for Myanmar that “contains complicated historical,
national and religious factors,” said a foreign ministry spokeswoman,
Hua Chunying.
“We think the international community
should constructively help Myanmar and Bangladesh to solve the issue
instead of complicating the issue,” said Hua at a regular briefing.
The UN official, Yanghee Lee, said Wednesday that Myanmar's government barred her from the country.
She
said officials told her that was in response to her criticism of
official restrictions on her movement when she visited in July.
Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed last month
that some Rohingya who fled to Bangladesh could start returning on
about Jan. 21. A Bangladeshi official on Tuesday said that might be
delayed.
Human rights groups warn the Rohingya may face more violence if they are sent back.
The
government of Buddhist-majority Myanmar has refused to accept Rohingya
Muslims as a minority group, though they have lived in the country for
generations. Rohingya were stripped of their citizenship in 1982.
