The military government in Myanmar has been urged to end the repression of ethnic minorities ahead of elections. A report by Amnesty International said activists from Myanmar's ethnic minority groups which constitute up to 40 per cent of the population face surveillance, harassment and discrimination when trying to carry out legitimate political activities. It urged the Association of South East Asian Nations, Asean, and China to help ensure that people in Myanmar can participate openly in the political process. A United Nations envoy for human rights, Tomas Ojea Quintana is currently visiting Rakhine state in the north-west of the country, home to the ethnic Rohingya people.