Burmese president, Thein Sein, has appointed opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi to head a commission to investigate the brutal crushing of a protest by police forces,that left several people injured last week.
In a statement on the presidential website, President Thein outlined that the purpose of the commission was to “investigate the truth” behind the police raid.
Commenting on the violent crackdown, the deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, Phil Robertson, said
“If excessive force was used, and it seems it was, then it needs to be established who authorised it and people need to be held accountable.”
The appointment of opposition leader, Suu Kyi, to head the commission comes amidst doubt from international observers about the sincerity of the President Thein’s reforms.
Having already visited the area, Suu Kyi called for an official inquiry into the violence and for the police to apologise to the monks.
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