A United Nations committee on Thursday endorsed a resolution calling on Myanmar to put an end to its military operations that have caused more than 600,000 Rohingya refugees to flee to neighboring Bangladesh since late August.

The measure, put forward by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to the General Assembly's Third Committee charged with human rights, won backing from 135 states. In addition to Myanmar, China and Russia, seven other countries voted against it and 26 nations, including Japan, abstained.

In the text, the Myanmar government is called upon to end its military operations, as well as allow unhindered humanitarian access to aid those in need, de-escalate the situation, ensure the voluntary and safe return of those who have fled and grant access to a fact-finding mission to monitor the situation there.

The resolution also expresses "grave concern" at the reports of human rights violations and abuses, particularly in Rakhine State.

The text points to the "disproportionate and sustained use of force" by the Myanmar security forces against the Rohingya community and others in northern Rakhine State. It also notes that nearly 60 percent of the Muslims who have been forced to flee are children.

Also contained in the document is the request by U.N. Secretary General Antonio Gueterres to appoint a special envoy on Myanmar, a provision that has budgetary implications related to the logistics of setting it up, which countries such as Japan are questioning.

"Japan finds it necessary to carefully consider the need and the merit of appointing a new special envoy," said Japan's Deputy Ambassador Toshiya Hoshino. He noted that the international body already has a special rapporteur on the human rights situation in the country.

Meanwhile, Myanmar's representative also voiced objections to the resolution and asked for a vote to be called. In some cases, such as the recently adopted resolution on North Korea's human rights abuses, the measure is adopted by consensus, although North Korea and a handful of other countries disassociated themselves from it.

"The draft resolution is, to say the least, flawed in its substance and dubious and questionable in intent," the Myanmar representative said.

"It is based on one-sided accusations, and falsely claimed evidence, using controversial and self-designated nomenclature throughout...(The) draft resolution also undermines the sovereignty of a nation and is tantamount to insulting its people."

Among those who abstained or voted against it, there are those that object to singling out countries when other U.N. mechanisms, such as the Human Rights Council, already exist.

The resolution will now be put to a vote in a plenary session of the General Assembly where it is expected to be adopted in mid-December.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch on Thursday released a new 37-page report documenting rapes committed by Myanmar's security forces based on interviews with 52 Rohingya women and girls who fled to Bangladesh. The organization has found that the abuses were violations of international law and amounted to crimes against humanity.

(Getty)