YANGON, Myanmar (AP) – A commission led by former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday recommended economic development and social justice to counter deadly violence between Buddhists and Muslims in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, stressing that the government of Aung San Suu Kyi must act quickly and decisively, even in the face of public opposition.
The Rakhine Commission, established in August 2016 at Suu Kyi’s behest, said in a report that the situation in Rakhine state is becoming more precarious and requires a sustained and coordinated effort by civilian and military authorities. The advisory commission has six members from Myanmar and three foreigners, including Annan.
“Unless concerted action led by the government and aided by all sectors of the government and society is taken soon, we risk the return of another cycle of violence and radicalization, which will further deepen the chronic poverty that afflicts Rakhine state,” Annan said at a news conference in Yangon to present the report.
Human rights groups, which have been highly critical of government failures in addressing the problems in Rakhine, generally applauded the report’s suggestions.
“The commission has developed an impressive set of common-sense, focused recommendations that if fully implemented could bring the sort of progress that has been missing in Rakhine state for decades,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch. “The ball is now in Suu Kyi’s court, and we’ll see if she can meet the high expectations created when she first asked Kofi Annan to lead this effort.”