Burma/Myanmar: Flawed Domestic Investigations Necessitate UN Commission of Inquiry on Serious Crimes

Since 2012, the governments led by former general President Thein Sein (2011-2015) and President Htin Kyaw (2016-present) have mandated four major official investigations into the situation in Arakan/Rakhine State. Three additional inquiry teams have been tasked to investigate the violence that erupted in Maungdaw since 9 October 2016. All initiatives have contradicted international human rights standards and have been flawed in terms of mandate, composition, process and outcomes:

• Lack of independence and impartiality.
• Lack of victim and witness protection.
• Rohingya exclusion from membership of the investigation commissions.
• Failure to acknowledge discriminatory laws and practices amongst the root causes of the violence.
• Fueling of discrimination: Denial of Rohingyas’ right to identify themselves; recommendations of
• segregation and discriminatory practices (e.g. controversial citizenship verification process and institutionalization of statelessness).
• Dismissal of reports of serious human rights violations as fabricated rumors and fake news to discredit the government.

Download this statement in English HERE.