This article first appeared on Voice of America.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson says the United Nations must supervise the return of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar because many are scared to come home on their own.
Johnson spoke to reporters Sunday after his meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi, de facto leader of the country formerly known as Burma.
Shocked at what I saw during tour of northern #Rakhine. The devastation of hundreds of villages torched. UK already a major donor to crisis and will continue to use our influence to provide a better future for the #Rohingya community. pic.twitter.com/paSvtwcZ1y
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) February 11, 2018
"I saw real apprehension both in camps in Bangladesh and amongst the remaining villagers," Johnson said. "The Burmese authorities need to work very hard with international agencies to overcome the real alarm that people feel about coming back to Burma."
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A military crackdown on Myanmar's Rohingya Muslim minority sent hundreds of thousands fleeing to refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh. Those who stayed behind in their destroyed villages still fear for their lives.
Along with the refugee camps, Johnson toured some of those villages attacked by Burmese forces.
Read more: What It Was Like to Work in a Rohinyga Refugee Camp at the Start of the Crisis
"I've seen nothing like it in my life," he said. "Hundreds and hundreds of villages torched. It's absolutely clear that what is needed now is...some calm leadership working with the U.N. agencies to get these people back home."
Myanmar's Nobel Peace Prize-winning leader Aung San Suu Kyi has a shaky power-sharing agreement with the powerful Burmese military. She and her image as a woman of democracy and peace have come under global criticism for her reluctance to speak out against the tough crackdown on the Rohingya.
Rohingya Muslims say they are a long-persecuted minority in Buddhist-majority Myanmar and are denied many basic rights and educational and job opportunities.
Read more: I Created Art With Refugee Kids in Bangladesh — and Saw Them Transform Into Superheroes
The latest action by the Burmese military and others came after Rohingya rebels attacked police stations and army posts last August.
Held talks with Aung San Suu Kyi. Discussed importance of Burmese authorities in carrying out full & independent investigation into the violence in #Rakhine & urgent need to create the right conditions for #Rohingya refugees to return to their homes in Rakhine. pic.twitter.com/aUxwW0EWaZ
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) February 11, 2018
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has accused Myanmar authorities of "ethnic cleansing" – a charge they strongly deny even as they refuse to allow U.N. investigators into the affected region.
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