At the 57th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council held yesterday, Mr. Nicholas Koumjian, head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), presented a report urging international action to end the atrocities and violence perpetrated by Myanmar's military. He stressed that words alone are no not sufficient to stop the ongoing violence in Myanmar, including horrifying crimes committed by the military.
“The members of this Council and concerned States have for years called for an end to the violence and horrific crimes in Myanmar. But seven years after the clearance operations that led to our creation, and three and a half years after the military coup, the violence has only increased. The people of Myanmar are suffering, and nearby States are also strained under the burden of people fleeing across their borders. Clearly, words are not enough,” Mr. Nicholas stated.
He further explained that conflicts in Myanmar continue to intensify, with increasing brutality. Civilians not only face destruction and loss but also targeted attacks meant to instill fear. The military's airstrikes have increased, leading to a significant rise in civilian casualties. "Over the past year, the Mechanism has seen evidence of increasingly frequent and brutal war crimes and crimes against humanity, committed by many different parties to the ongoing conflicts. In many instances, civilians are not just collateral damage but rather the target of attacks, which appear intended to create terror.," Mr. Koumjian reported.
He highlighted airstrikes on a wedding and monasteries in Sagaing, an IDP (internally displaced persons) camp in Kachin State, and schools in Karenni, Karen, and Chin States. Just last week, an airstrike near a night market in northern Shan State that killed two children and a pregnant woman, among others.
The IIMM head also described testimonies of torture and sexual violence, revealing brutal practices such as beatings, electric shocks, strangulation, and the removal of fingernails. Witnesses have shared horrifying accounts of torture used during interrogations. "There is evidence that minors and other victims of all genders have been subjected to gang rape, burns on sexual body parts and other violent sexual and gender-based crimes." he added.
Mr. Koumjian also mentioned a recent viral video showing a drone attack on Rohingya attempting to flee Myanmar, displaying the horrifying aftermath where dozens of bodies, mostly women and children, were strewn along a riverbank. "The victims were clearly civilians. I cannot imagine anyone believing there was a military purpose to this attack. We will follow the evidence wherever it leads and make every effort to see those responsible for this attack, regardless of their ethnicity or politics, are held to account," he said.
Mr. Nicholas also emphasized that impunity for crimes in Myanmar, particularly in Rakhine State, has lasted for decades, contributing to the current situation. He noted that over 80 files, containing more than a million pieces of evidence, have already been shared with international legal authorities, including the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, and the Argentine Federal Court.
He called on the members of the Human Rights Council and the international community, especially those in the region, to support IIMM's efforts to end the cycle of impunity in Myanmar and assist in bringing the perpetrators of these heinous crimes to justice.
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