ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) has urged the Myanmar Government to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into reports of abuses by security forces against civilians in Rakhine. <br/><br/>APHR Chairperson, Charles Santiago,has said that the authorities must take urgent action to prevent further violations and protect the rights of all civilians. The Myanmar Government has denied that any abuses have been committed. <br/><br/>Troops have poured into northern Rakhine since militants believed to be Rohingya Muslims launched coordinated attacks on border posts on Oct. 9, killing nine police.The territory has been cut off to aid workers and observers for more than three weeks. <br/><br/>Meanwhile, the visiting ambassadors of the United States, China, Britain,European Union as well as envoys from several other countries, including India, Turkey and Indonesia, left the Rakhine capital, Sittwe, today for the northern part of the state under military lock-down.