UN Special Rapporteur asked not to use 'Rohingya' for addressing Rakhine Muslims

The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar has been asked to refrain from using the word "Bengali" or "Rohingya" when refering to the Muslim community in Rakhine State.

Myanmar's Foreign Minister Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in told rapporteur Yanghee Lee to refrain from controversial terminology like "Bengali" or "Rohingya" when refering to people in Rakhine State, reports the Myanmar Times.

U Zaw Htay, of the President's Office said: "The government and Daw Aung San Su Kyi herself also avoid using this word. It is not useful to the community and its usage could cause tensions".

Yanghee Lee met with Foreign Minister Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for the first meeting of the UN monitor's fourth official visit to the country and discussed human rights in Myanmar along with other important issues.

Earlier, on June 17, Myanmar's representative to the UN human rights assembly, Daw Thet Thinzar Tun, had also asked the international community to avoid the term "Rohingya" and instead use "Muslim community in Rakhine State".