UN special rapporteur accuses Myanmar's army of fresh abuses

The UN's special rapporteurforMyanmar has called for a new investigation into allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity during recent fighting in the Southeast Asian country as she approaches the end of her appointment.

Yanghee Lee accused Myanmar's military of "inflicting immense suffering" on ethnic minorities in Rakhine and Chin states, where the government is battling the Arakan Army, a well-armed and well-trained guerrilla force representing the Buddhist Rakhine minority.

"While the world is occupied with the COVID-19 pandemic, theMyanmarmilitary continues to escalate its assault in Rankine State, targeting the civilian population," shesaid on Wednesday in her final statement after six years as rights envoy, calling for an international investigation into the allegations.

Lee linked the current situation in Rakhine and Chin to the government's actions against the Rohingya, for which no senior officers have faced justice and token punishments were given to a handful of low-ranking security personnel.

The human rights expertwhose term ends this month, has been a sharp critic of Myanmar's military since her appointment in 2014, focusing especially on human rights abuses against the Muslim Rohingya minority in Rakhine state.

The government has repeatedly refused requests by Lee to enterMyanmar.

She has previously accused the army of genocide and other war crimes against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Rakhine in 2017, when some 700,000 fled an army crackdown.

The International Court of Justice in the Netherlands agreed last year to rule on charges of genocide lodged against Myanmar.