Myanmar blocks UN rights investigator weeks before visit

The UN independent investigator into human rights in Myanmar is calling for stronger international pressure to be exerted on Myanmar's military commanders after she was barred from visiting the country for the rest of her tenure.

YangheeLeesaid she had been dueto visit in January to assess human rights across Myanmar including alleged abuses against Rohingya Muslims in RakhineState.

But Myanmartold hershe was no longer welcome.

"From what I see right now, I'm not sure if they are feelingpressured. I'm not sure if there is the right kind of pressure placed on the military commanders and the generals," she latertold Reuters by phone from Seoul.

She said it was alarming that Myanmar was strongly supportedby China, which has a veto at the UN's top table in New York.Other countries, including the United States,and human groupswere advocating targeted sanctions on the military, she said.

"I think the United Nations and its memberstates should really try to persuade China to really act towardthe protection of human rights."

More than 650,000Rohingyafled into Bangladesh afterattacks by Muslim insurgents on the Myanmar security forcestriggered a crackdownby the army and Buddhist vigilantes.

Surveys ofRohingyarefugees in Bangladesh by aid agencyMedecinsSansFrontiereshave shownat least 6,700RohingyawerekilledinRakhinestate in the month after violence flared up onAug. 25,MSFsaid last week.

The UNHigh Commissioner for Human RightsZeidRa'adal-Hussein has called the violence "a textbook example of ethniccleansing" and said he would not be surprised if a courteventually ruledthat genocide had taken place.

'Nothing to hide'

Lee had planned to use her visit to find out procedures forthe return of Rohingya refugees, and to investigate increased fighting in the Kachin and northern Shan areas of Myanmar.

In an earlier statement, she said Myanmar's refusal toco-operate with her was a strong indication there must be "something terribly awful happening" throughout the country,although the government had repeatedly denied any violations ofhuman rights.

"They have said that they have nothing to hide, but theirlack of co-operation with my mandate and the fact-finding missionsuggests otherwise," Lee said.

Lee said thatMyanmar'sAmbassador in Geneva Htin Lynn had told the UNHuman RightsCouncil only two weeks ago that it would continue to cooperate.

"Now I am being told that this decision to no longercooperate with me is based onthe statement I madeafter I visited the country in July," she said.

Lee's mandaterequirestwovisits to Myanmareach year and she has visited six times since taking up the mandate in June 2014, although the government has consistently refused access to some areas, citing security concerns, the statement said.

Lynn did not respond to a request for comment. Neither ZawHtay, spokespersonfor Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi,nor Kyaw Moe Tun, a spokespersonfor the ministry of foreignaffairs that Suu Kyi heads, wasimmediately available.