There is a growing body of evidence that crimes against humanity have been committed in Myanmar since last year’s coup, UN investigators said on Tuesday.
In its annual report, the UN Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar stresses that women and children are particularly targeted.
“There is considerable evidence that since the military took power in February 2021, crimes have been committed in Myanmar on a scale and in a manner that constitutes a widespread and systematic attack against a civilian population,” the body said in a statement. a statement.
Murders, tortures, deportations, rapes, persecutions… the report establishes a long list of crimes against humanity which would have been committed. The regions affected are more and more numerous, he also indicates.
Created by the UN Human Rights Council in September 2018, this investigative mechanism aims to gather evidence on the most serious crimes. It thus cooperates in particular with the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.
“Crimes against women and children are among the most serious international crimes, but they are also historically under-reported and under-investigated,” Nicholas Koumjian, head of the mechanism, said in a statement. ‘investigation.
“The perpetrators of these crimes must know that they cannot continue to act with impunity. We collect and preserve the evidence so that they will one day be held to account,” he stressed.
According to information available to UN investigators, “Sexual and gender-based crimes, including rape and other forms of sexual violence, as well as crimes against children have been perpetrated by members of the security forces. security and armed groups”.
According to the report, children were tortured, recruited and arbitrarily detained.
Responsibilities
Other UN officials and experts have previously accused the ruling junta of committing crimes against humanity. In January, Koumjian himself estimated that well over 1,000 people may have been killed in circumstances that could qualify as crimes against humanity or war crimes.
Since the February 1, 2021 coup that toppled former civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the ruling junta has waged a bloody crackdown on its opponents, with more than 2,100 civilians killed and nearly 15,000 arrested, according to a report. local NGO.
The junta carried out the execution of four prisoners sentenced to death at the end of July, including two figures of the pro-democracy movement, a first for more than 30 years. Other executions could follow, warned the UN, which has counted more than a hundred death sentences since the coup.
The UN investigative mechanism on Myanmar was not allowed by the Myanmar authorities to visit. But experts have collected information from more than 200 sources since its inception. These include interviews, documents, videos, photographs and geospatial imagery.
In its report, the investigative mechanism is also concerned about the fate of the Rohingyas who have not been able to return home. About 850,000 members of this Muslim minority live in makeshift camps in Bangladesh, after fleeing a bloody military crackdown in their Buddhist-majority country in 2017. Another 600,000 are in Rakhine State, Myanmar.
“The Rohingyas constantly express their desire to be able to return in a safe and dignified way to Myanmar, but this will be very difficult if those responsible for the atrocities committed against them are not held to account,” Koumjian stressed.
On July 22, the International Court of Justice declared itself competent to try a charge of genocide against Myanmar, a charge brought by The Gambia on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).