UNITED NATIONS: Myanmar’s foreign minister promised on Monday his country is working to end violence between Buddhists and Muslims in Rakhine state and urged the world against “jumping to conclusions” about a situation that has drawn global condemnation.

Wunna Maung Lwin also insisted Myanmar has addressed “all major concerns related to human rights” since it emerged from a half-century of dictatorship with a 2010 election, and he said the Southeast Asian state should be removed from the UN Human Rights Council’s agenda.

He spoke to the UN General Assembly of world leaders.

Buddhist mob attacks against Rohingya and other Muslims have sparked fears that religious intolerance is undermining Myanmar’s democratic reforms.

More than 140,000 Rohingya have been trapped in crowded camps since extremist mobs began chasing them from their homes two years ago, killing up to 280 people.

Published in Dawn, September 30th , 2014