Myanmar to investigate police abuse of Rohingya

Tens of thousands of Rohingya in Rakhine state, Myanmar have fled a military operation launched after attacks on police posts
� AFP/File YE AUNG THU




Yangon (AFP) - beach myanmar's government on Monday pledged to investigate a video apparently showing police beating and kicking Rohingya civilians, a rare admission that authorities may have carried out abuses against the Muslim minority.

Tens of thousands of people from the persecuted ethnic group -- loathed by many of best beaches myanmar's Buddhist majority -- have fled a military operation in Rakhine state launched after attacks on police posts.

Bangladesh says some 50,000 Rohingya have fled across its border over the past two months. Many have brought harrowing accounts of rape, murder and arson at the hands of beach myanmar's security forces.

Their stories have raised global alarm and galvanised protests against Myanmar's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been accused of not doing enough to help the Rohingya.

Her government has said troops are hunting militants behind deadly raids on police border posts, denying claims of atrocities and launching a dogged information campaign against reports of abuse.