GENEVA (Halbeeg News) – United Nations (UN) report has accused Myanmar’s military of carrying out mass killings, enslavement and gang rapes of Muslim Rohingya with “genocidal intent”, calling for the prosecutions of the commander-in-chief and five generals.
The report by investigators was the first time the United Nations has explicitly called for Myanmar officials to face genocide charges over their campaign against the Rohingya and is likely to deepen the country’s isolation.
“Criminal investigation and prosecution is warranted, focusing on the top Tatmadaw generals, in relation to the three categories of crimes under international law,” the U.N. said in a special report, accusing the generals of “genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.”
The investigators called for the U.N. Security Council to impose an arms embargo on Myanmar, subject its officials to targeted sanctions and set up an ad hoc tribunal to try suspects or refer them to the International Criminal Court in the Hague.
The report blamed Myanmar’s de facto civilian leader, Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, for failing to use her “moral authority” to protect civilians. Her government “contributed to the commission of atrocity crimes” by letting hate speech thrive, destroying documents and failing to shield minorities from crimes against humanity and war crimes
The accusations are based on the findings of a three-member, independent, international fact-finding mission that gathered more than 800 testimonies and other data, the UN said. The scale of persecution and violence is evidenced by a refugee who reportedly described herself as “lucky” because she “was only raped by three men.”
“The scale, brutality and systematic nature of rape and violence indicate that they are part of a deliberate strategy to intimidate, terrorize or punish the civilian population,” UN team member Radhika Coomaraswamy told reporters at an Aug. 27 press conference in Geneva. “These have principally been committed by the military, the Tatmadaw.”
The investigators sharply criticized Facebook, which has become Myanmar’s dominant social media network despite having no employees there, for letting its platform be used to incite violence and hatred.
Facebook responded by announcing it was blocking 20 Myanmar officials and organizations found by the U.N. panel to have “committed or enabled serious human rights abuses”.
Myanmar refutes
Suu Kyi’s government has rejected most allegations of atrocities made against the security forces by refugees. It has built transit centers for refugees to return, but U.N. aid agencies say it is not yet safe for them to do so.
“Our stance is clear and I want to say sharply that we don’t accept any resolutions conducted by the Human Rights Council,” Zaw Htay, the main government spokesman, said in an interview published in state media.
Myanmar has denied most of the allegations, saying the military responded to a legitimate threat from Rohingya militants, who attacked police posts across the western Rakhine state.
“If there is any case against human rights, just give us strong evidence, record, and date so that we can take legal action against those who break the rules and regulations,” Zaw Htay said.
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