New Report On Crimes Against Humanity Against Rohingyas Strengthens Case For UN Inquiry

By Burma Campaign UK • June 23, 2010

The Burma Campaign UK today welcomed a new report – Crimes against Humanity in Western Burma: The Situation of the Rohingyas – published by the Irish Centre for Human Rights.

The report was supervised by Prof Schabas, an expert on international human rights law, who served as one of the seven commissioners on the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The report was funded by the Irish government.

The hard-hitting report exposes how the Rohingya ethnic minority in Burma are subject to a range of different human rights abuses which constitute, or may constitute, crimes against humanity as defined by the Rome Statute. These include:

Forced labour
Deportation and forcible transfer
Rape and sexual violence
Persecution

The report states that; “there is a reliable body of evidence pointing to acts constituting a widespread or systematic attack against the Rohingya civilian population….These appear to satisfy the requirements under international criminal law for the perpetration of crimes against humanity.”

The report recommends that the United Nations Security Council establish a commission of inquiry into the crimes exposed in the report, and into potential crimes being committed in other parts of Burma.

It also calls on the International Labour Organisation to reconsider referring Burma to the International Court of Justice unless there are “swift satisfactory changes.”

In March this year the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Burma also called for a UN commission of inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma.

So far Australia, UK, Czech Republic, and Slovakia have publicly stated that they support a UN commission of inquiry. On 17^th June The Elders joined international calls for the establishment of such an inquiry.

“This report provides yet more evidence that the generals ruling Burma are criminals who are breaking international law and avoiding justice,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK. “Governments cannot continue to ignore the evidence; ignorance is no longer an excuse for inaction. We need to see governments publicly supporting a UN commission of inquiry and then taking action to establish it. The European Union should state that it supports the establishment of a UN commission of inquiry. The Irish government should be congratulated for funding this report. We hope they will now express their clear support for a UN inquiry and work for the EU as a whole to also adopt this position.”

For more information contact Mark Farmaner on 07941239640.

Download the report here.