UN fact-finding report on July-August uprising by mid-February: Volker Türk

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk yesterday announced that the UN fact-finding mission report on the atrocities during the July-August uprising is in its final stages and will be released by mid-February.

The high commissioner made these remarks during a meeting with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, as reported by the press wing of the Chief Adviser’s Office.

Volker Türk mentioned that the report would be shared with the Bangladesh side before its publication from the UN Human Rights Office in Geneva.

Yunus expressed gratitude to the UN rights office for investigating the crimes committed during the student-led uprising. He also said that reports from six major independent commissions would be released around the same time, which could serve as complementary sources of information.

During the meeting, Yunus sought Türk’s support in resolving the worsening Rohingya crisis, highlighted by the recent influx of tens of thousands of refugees from Myanmar.

Türk assured his full support, noting ongoing discussions with stakeholders, including UN Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop.

Yunus suggested the creation of a UN-overseen safe zone in Myanmar’s Rakhine State to prevent further Rohingya displacement. He also referred to the upcoming high-level conference on the Rohingya crisis, emphasising its role in drawing global attention to one of the worst humanitarian crises.

Türk agreed on the importance of the conference in restoring the international community’s focus on the Rohingya issue.

The meeting was attended by Lamiya Morshed, SDG Coordinator of the Bangladesh Government, and Tareq Ariful Islam, Bangladesh’s Permanent Ambassador to Geneva.