By HTET NAING ZAW 17 May 2018
NAYPYITAW — Myanmar’s government will help Muslim
refugees who have fled to Bangladesh from northern Rakhine State file
grievances in cases of alleged human rights abuses, according to the Union
minister for social welfare, relief and resettlement.
Dr. Win Myat Aye announced the policy during an
assessment of his ministry’s record over the past year at a press conference in
Naypyitaw on Thursday.
Establishing such a process has become a priority for the
government as it faces serious allegations of human rights abuses from the
international community. While only some individuals are responsible for the
human rights abuses, the organizations they belong to have had to shoulder all
the blame, the minister said.
“There are various allegations. There are allegations
against organizations, for example the Tatmadaw [Myanmar’s military], rather
than the individuals who actually committed the crimes. This mars the image of
the organizations. The individual perpetrators should face punishment, not
their organizations,” he said.
Those wishing to file grievances can do so from their
current locations but will have to attend a trial in Myanmar. The state will
bear the costs of bringing the witnesses to the court, according to the
minister.
“We have announced that those who fled to Bangladesh now
have the right to file complaints. And the Myanmar government will assist them
in doing so,” Dr. Win Myat Aye said.
The move aims to address the widespread allegations in a
transparent manner, he added.
During visits to Maungdaw in Rakhine State, The Irrawaddy
received reports of rapes and other human rights violations by security forces.
Their allegations were found not to be true when checked by forensic
pathologists, however.
The government initiated the grievance process after the
international community, including the United Nations, put pressure on Myanmar
to make sure the Tatmadaw acts in a responsible manner and shows accountability
in its handling of the Rakhine issue.