YANGON (AFP) – UN Human Rights envoy Andrew Gilmour said yesterday that Myanmar is continuing its “ethnic cleansing” of the Rohingya with a campaign of terror and forced starvation in Rakhine state. Some 700,000 Rohingya have fled over the border to Bangladesh since violence erupted in August. Mr Gilmour added that that it was “inconceivable” that any Rohingya would be able to return to Myanmar in the near future, despite the country’s pledges to start taking back some refugees. Myanmar’s military has largely closed off northern Rakhine state to journalists, diplomats and most aid organisations outside of brief chaperoned trips.

• Tags: Andrew Gilmour, ethnic cleansing, human rights, Myanmar, Rakhine, Rohingya, UN