Myanmar military oversaw crimes against humanity

Myanmar's military chief and other top brass have been accused by Amnesty International of crimes against humanity for overseeing a "systematic" attack against Rohingyas, according to a report by the rights group yesterday calling for prosecution at the International Criminal Court.

Meanwhile, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar Yanghee Lee has urged the Human Rights Council to support efforts to investigate and prosecute at the International Criminal Court (ICC) those responsible for crimes that have occurred for decades across the country.

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More than 700,000 Rohingyas were forced to flee Rakhine state after a military crackdown that the United Nations has said amounts to "ethnic cleansing".

Myanmar's military denied targeting the stateless minority and said it was defending itself against Muslim militants who attacked police posts in August 2017.

But a new report from Amnesty said army commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing and 12 other senior military and security officials oversaw an orchestrated campaign of violence in the restive state where the Rohingya have been historically marginalised, reported AFP.

It is the first time senior military officials have been named and implicated in the violence.

"The ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya population was achieved by a relentless and systematic campaign in which the Myanmar security forces unlawfully killed thousands of Rohingya, including young children," said the report.

"The bulk of these crimes were not the actions of rogue or out-of-control soldiers or units," it added, rejecting previous claims by the military that some soldiers may have broken the rules of engagement.

It also accused security forces of sexual violence, torture, forced displacement and burning markets and farmland that starved communities and forced them to flee.

"These crimes amount to crimes against humanity under international law, as they were perpetrated as part of a widespread and systematic attack against the Rohingya population," the report said.

The report said some senior military figures and border guard police oversaw units that directly carried out alleged atrocities, while others knew of subordinates' actions and failed to prevent, stop or punish the crimes.

HUMANITARIAN CRISIS

The 186-page report is the most detailed account of the crisis yet and follows fresh sanctions from the European Union this week against seven security officials accused of serious crimes including sexual violence and killings.

Min Aung Hlaing was not hit by the sanctions but six people on the EU list are named in the Amnesty report, including Major General Maung Maung Soe, the former head of the western command in Rakhine.

In a rare move, Myanmar's military said this week he had been sacked for "weakness" in his role.

But some said it was a piecemeal gesture.

"They are now grasping for ways to draw a line under international pressure," Aaron Connelly, director of the Southeast Asia project at the Lowy Institute in Australia, told AFP.

"But none of these attempts are likely to work, short of prosecutions for crimes against humanity and the eventual return of large numbers of Rohingya to Rakhine State under improved legal and humanitarian conditions."

UN EXPERT FOR ICC

Yanghee Lee told the Human Rights Council in Geneva yesterday, "I firmly believe that accountability for the crimes committed is the only way to end the cycles of violence faced by the people of Myanmar.”

She strongly recommended the people allegedly responsible for the violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law be investigated and prosecuted by the ICC or a credible mechanism, UNB reported.

"To prepare for such credible investigation and prosecution, and in order to finally put an end to decades of such crimes and to take effective measures to bring justice, I recommend that the Council establish an accountability mechanism under the auspices of the United Nations without delay," Lee said.

It was now imperative to consider a credible international accountability mechanism, Lee told the Council, going beyond recommendations she made in March for a UN investigation to gather information in Cox's Bazar.

"In view of the scale and gravity of the allegations of human rights violations and abuses and violations of international humanitarian law across the country, the structure should also prepare cases and look to advance justice and rights of the victims," she said.

“Power should not be absolute. Power should be accountable."