Dhaka, June 24 -- The Myanmar government's shutdown of mobile data networks in nine townships could have serious implications for human rights and humanitarian monitoring in the conflict areas of Rakhine and Chin States, a UN expert warned on Monday.

"As there's no media access and serious restrictions on humanitarian organisations in the conflict-affected area, the entire region is in a blackout," said Yanghee Lee, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar.

She feared for all civilians there, cut off and without the necessary means to communicate with people inside and outside the area.

Recent reports allege violations of human rights and international humanitarian law to have been committed against the civ...