Press Release: New Investigation Commission Lacks Credibility – UN Investigation Needed

New Investigation Commission Lacks Credibility – UN Investigation Needed

Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK rejects the new Commission established by the government of Burma to investigate violence in Rakhine State.

The government and military are not impartial. The military have been committing abuses and the government have been defending them and denying abuses are taking place. A government which has prejudged the situation and taken sides has established an investigation led by a former senior soldier who himself has allegations of human rights violations against him. This cannot be considered independent or credible. 

Since 2012 there have been numerous committees and commissions established by the government. None have been credible or led to any solutions, in fact the situation has got worse.

It is disturbing that the investigation committee is chaired by vice-President 1 U Myint Swe who was Chief of Military Security Affairs when the 2007 Saffron Revolution was crushed. 

Burmese government has continuously been denying all the allegations of abuses against the Rohingya, how are we now expected to believe it will conduct a genuine investigation?

This week Adama Dieng, the U.N.'s special adviser on the prevention of genocide, said the allegations "must be verified as a matter of urgency" and urged the government to allow access to the area.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein has also stated: “the government has largely failed to act on the recommendations made in a report by the UN Human Rights Office… (that) raised the possibility that the pattern of violations against the Rohingya may amount to crimes against humanity,” echoing what another UN official described the government is carrying out “ethnic cleansing” of Rohingya Muslims.

BROUK President Tun Khin said “It is very surprising that the investigation only happens now 7 weeks after the attacks and after the government and military already made statements about the attacks and launched major military operations against the Rohingya populations. The military have killed at least 400 Rohingyas 240 Women have been raped, at least 600 Rohingyas arrested 2300 houses burnt, and 35,000 forced from their homes, and only now they say they will investigate who is responsible. Who can believe that after all this they will say they got it wrong?”

Tun Khin added: “We strongly reject the commission and we urgently need a UN commission of Inquiry to investigate crimes against Rohingya perpetrated by Burmese military in Northern Arakan, The International community have to take immediate steps to pressure NLD government to implement the key recommendations points from the UN human rights office report on this year June”.