UN: Myanmar violence may be 'crimes against humanity'

UN rights experts have warned that the violence against women and children in Rakhine State "may amount to crimes against humanity".

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Committee on the Rights of a Child called on Myanmar authorities to "promptly and effectively investigate and vigorously prosecute cases of violence against women and children" in northern Rakhine.

"We are particularly worried about the fate of Rohingya women and children subject to serious violations of their human rights, including killings, rape and forced displacement," the committees said in a statement on Wednesday.

READ MORE: Who are the Rohingya?

"Such violations may amount to crimes against humanity and we are deeply concerned at the state's failure to put an end to these shocking human rights violations being committed at the behest of the military and other security forces, and of which women and children continue to bear the brunt."

Rohingya who have fled have told stories of rape and other sexual abuse, indiscriminate killings and arson by Myanmar security forces.

The UN has previously called the Rohingya exodus from Myanmar to Bangladesh "the most urgent refugee crisis in the world".

The mainly Muslim minority, who live primarily in Rakhine State, is not recognised as an ethnic group in Myanmar, despite having lived there for generations. They have been denied citizenship and are stateless.

More than 507,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since Myanmar's army launched a military crackdown in response to an attack by Rohingya fighters on dozens of police posts and an army base on August 25.