Revealing Burma’s System of Impunity

By Burma Lawyers' Council • September 9, 2011

This briefing paper analyzes the inability of the domestic judicial system to ensure accountability for atrocities committed in Burma. It concludes that the judicial system in Burma only serves to ensure impunity for crimes committed by those in power and therefore the international community has both the right and duty to act.

This ten-page briefer includes detailed analysis of:

The system of impunity that has been embedded in Burma’s constitutional structure;
The unlikelihood that Burma’s military regime will act on its promise to the international community to halt heinous crimes and create a system of accountability; and
The need for the international community to take action in order for a truly impartial investigation into human rights abuses to take place.

True reform of the domestic judicial system is impossible under the current legal framework as recent actions by the regime only serve to maintain the status quo. The international community should not be distracted by the regime’s empty promises to uphold human rights principles, and must establish a Commission of Inquiry.

Download the briefer in English and Burmese