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UN investigator urges Myanmar to allow Muslims to vote
Supporters of Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party follow her vehicle after a campaign rally in Thandwe, western Rakhine state, Myanmar, Oct
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Supporters of Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party follow her vehicle after a campaign rally in Thandwe, western Rakhine state, Myanmar, Oct. 17. (AP/Gemunu Amarasinghe) (AP/Gemunu Amarasinghe)
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span class="inline inline-center">Supporters of Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party follow her vehicle after a campaign rally in Thandwe, western Rakhine state, Myanmar, Oct. 17. (AP/Gemunu Amarasinghe)
A United Nations investigator is accusing Myanmar of discrimination and is urging the government to take immediate action to allow its Rohingya Muslim minority, people of Chinese and Indian descent, and refugees and migrant workers to vote in November elections.
Yanghee Lee, the special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, also urged the country's Election Commission to establish an independent process to review the disqualification of candidates, many of them Muslims including two current members of parliament.
Lee said in a report to the U.N. General Assembly and at a press conference on Thursday that the Nov. 8 legislative elections, the first since independence from Britain, will be "an important milestone" in the country's democratic transition.
But she said the elections won't be free and fair unless they are inclusive. (kes)
