Myanmar short on needed reforms, U.N. says

• Tweet

GENEVA, Switzerland, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- There are significant human rights reforms that need to be addressed by the government in Myanmar, a U.N. special envoy said Wednesday from Geneva.

U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Tomas Ojea Quintana provided an update on the reform process in Myanmar following his latest trip to the country.

Myanmar started its political reform process with general elections in 2010. Some economic sanctions against the country were lifted in response to the reforms.

"The reforms in Myanmar are continuing apace, which is a good sign for the improvement of the human rights situation in Myanmar," Quintana said in a statement.

Myanmar this week released more than a dozen children conscripted into the nation's military. Conflict Rakhine and Kachin, however, continue to trouble international observers.

"There are significant human rights shortcomings that remain unaddressed," Quintana said.

He called on the government to form a truth commission in order to address abuses committed by the previous junta with the aim of preventing "future human rights violations by learning from the past."