The UN-backed Human Rights Council has approved a resolution by consensus to "dispatch urgently" an international fact-finding mission to Myanmar to probe alleged abuses by military and security forces, particularly in Rakhine state. The 47-member body threw its weight Friday behind existing efforts to investigate alleged abuses including torture, rape, arbitrary killings and forced displacement of the country's Muslim Rohingya minority. Myanmar Ambassador Htin Lynn said a domestic investigative panel is already looking into the alleged crimes, and any council action should not worsen "an already complicated situation." The resolution says the council's president will appoint the independent mission, which is to provide an update on its work in the council's autumn session. Some countries including China, India and Cuba dissociated themselves from the European Union-backed resolution.
