More than 50 domestic organizations call on government to
support human rights mission
(YANGON, May 25, 2017)–Fifty-nine Myanmar-based civil
society organizations today called on the Government of Myanmar to cooperate
with a United Nations Fact-Finding Mission into the human rights situation “in
at least Rakhine, Kachin, Shan, and other ethnic states of Myanmar.”
Joint-statement, Read here: http://www.fortifyrights.org/downloads/Myanmar_CSOs_Calls_for_NLD_Govt_to_Fully_Cooperate_with_FFM(May_25_2017).pdf
“[T]he Fact-Finding Mission is important for the people
of Myanmar and our shared struggle for rule of law and human rights,” the
organizations said. Today’s statement is the largest demonstration of support
for the Fact-Finding Mission from within Myanmar.
“It’s not too late for civilian and military authorities
to work with this mission to establish the facts and prevent further violations
and abuses,” said Khin Zaw Win, director of the Tampadipa Institute, a
signatory to the statement. “National reconciliation, stability, and
development depend in large part on ending and remedying abuses and atrocities
and that can’t happen until the facts are firmly established.”
On March 24, the U.N. Human Rights Council passed a
resolution mandating a Fact-Finding Mission to Myanmar to “establish the facts
and circumstances of the alleged recent human rights violations by military and
security forces . . . with a view to ensuring full accountability for
perpetrators and justice for victims.” The resolution further encouraged the
Government of Myanmar to “cooperate fully with the fact finding mission,”
stressing the need for “full, unrestricted and unmonitored access to all areas
and interlocutors.”
The diverse signatories to today’s statement include
prominent women-led organizations, human rights organizations, and development
organizations representing various ethnicities throughout the country. Fortify
Rights is not a signatory to the statement but supported civil society
organizations in developing and publishing it today.
“These organizations know the scourge of atrocity crimes
and impunity and want real solutions,” said Matthew Smith, Chief Executive
Officer at Fortify Rights. “The government has a responsibility to protect the
population and hold perpetrators accountable, and this mission would help them
do just that.”
Today’s statement comes during the “21st century Panglong
Conference” – a meeting convened by Myanmar’s de-facto head of state Aung San
Suu Kyi, ostensibly to end the country’s long-running wars and achieve
“national reconciliation.” The meeting includes leaders of the Myanmar military
and ethnic armed groups, elected officials, and observers from civil society.
Any failure by the government to cooperate with the U.N.
mission may demonstrate unwillingness to end and remedy human rights violations
in ethnic states and that may adversely affect the country’s fledgling “peace
process,” Fortify Rights said.
Upon its passage, the Government of Myanmar immediately
“disassociated” itself from the resolution. At a press conference in Brussels
on May 2, State Counselor Suu Kyi reiterated the government position, saying
the resolution was “not in keeping with what is actually happening on the
ground.” Suu Kyi’s offices have routinely denied allegations of serious human
rights violations in Rakhine State since October 2016.
On October 9, 2016, armed militants attacked three police
outposts in Maungdaw and Rathedaung townships in northern Rakhine State,
killing nine police. In response, the Myanmar military launched “area clearance
operations,” forcing the displacement of more than 100,000 civilians.
Amid increasing allegations of human rights violations,
in January, 40 Myanmar-based civil society organizations called for a “truly
independent” investigation into the situation in Rakhine State. On February 3,
the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights released a “flash report” that
documented mass rape of women and girls, extrajudicial killings, and the
widespread burning of villages by Myanmar state security forces in Maungdaw
Township since October 9. The report concluded the attacks could “very likely”
amount to crimes against humanity.
Fortify Rights similarly documented how Myanmar state
security forces in northern Rakhine State committed unlawful killings of ethnic
Rohingya Muslims, including infants and children, raped and gang-raped ethnic
women and girls, looted property, and razed entire villages, including
religious structures and food stocks, since October. Fortify Rights also
documented the severe restrictions imposed on Muslims in Rakhine State for
decades, including restrictions on freedom of movement, marriage, childbirth,
and other aspects of daily life.
Since October, Myanmar authorities have denied
humanitarian agencies, journalists, and human rights monitors unfettered access
to affected areas in Maungdaw Township. The authorities have denied life-saving
humanitarian aid to tens of thousands of displaced Rohingya. Despite Myanmar
authorities’ repeated promises to diplomats and others to increase humanitarian
access to the area, aid operations remain limited.
Unchecked human rights violations also continue in
northern Myanmar. In June 2011, civil war resumed in Kachin State between the
Myanmar Army and Kachin Independence Army, spreading later into northern Shan
State. Fighting in these areas increased during the last year. Fortify Rights
and community-based organizations have documented extrajudicial killings,
torture, forced labor, rape and other acts of sexual violence, arbitrary
detention, attacks on civilians and civilian objects, and pillaging of property
by the Myanmar Army in Kachin and Shan states since 2011.
Human rights violations by the Myanmar Army in Kachin and
Shan states have been perpetrated with near-complete impunity and may amount to
war crimes and crimes against humanity under international law, Fortify Rights
said.
Myanmar authorities also continue to restrict
humanitarian aid groups and human rights monitors from operating freely in
Kachin State and northern Shan State, resulting in avoidable deprivations of
food, healthcare, and other humanitarian provisions for displaced communities.
State Counselor Suu Kyi has consistently promoted the
concept of rule of law as an essential solution to the longstanding problems in
ethnic states and the country. Today's statement notes that the Government of
Myanmar’s “full support for this Fact Finding Mission is an opportunity to demonstrate
its commitment to rule of law” and warns that a failure to cooperate with the
mission could lead to a worsening human rights situation in Myanmar and further
atrocity crimes.
Today’s statement also follows an open letter from
Fortify Rights and 22 international organizations on April 27 calling upon the
Myanmar authorities to cooperate with the Fact-Finding Mission.
“The mission will collect evidence and draw conclusions
even if the government denies it access, but it’d be wise for the authorities
to avoid that route,” said Matthew Smith. “Any failure to cooperate with this
mission will raise international alarm bells, intensify pressure, and further
damage trust with ethnic populations.”
For More Information, Please Contact:
Khin Zaw Win, Director, Tampadipa Institute,
+95.77.052.6058 (Burmese/English), khin.z.win@gmail.com
Matthew Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Fortify Rights,
+66.85.028.0044, matthew.smith@fortifyrights.org
, Twitter @matthewfsmith @FortifyRights
Nickey Diamond, Myanmar Human Rights Specialist, Fortify
Rights, +95975683114 (Burmese/English), nickey.diamond@fortifyrights.org
;Twitter @NickeyMdy @FortifyRights