This submission details human rights violations by Myanmar state security forces against Rohingya Muslim civilians in Rakhine State since October 2016. It draws on evidence collected by Fortify Rights in Myanmar and Bangladesh, including interviews with 239 survivors and eyewitnesses.

During “clearance operations” by the Myanmar military from October to December 2016, we interviewed 188 survivors and eyewitnesses of human rights violations, including doctors and aid workers.

Following the latest outbreak of violence in northern Rakhine State, we spent 9 days on the border in Bangladesh, interviewing 51 Rohingya and Hindu eyewitnesses and survivors from 31 villages in Maungdaw, Buthidaung, and Rathedaung townships. We interviewed Rohingya men and women, aid workers and people trapped in villages, as well as members of ARSA. We’ve since been collecting information from a range of in-country and external sources, including Rohingya who are in hiding or otherwise trapped in Maungdaw Township.

Based on the evidence we’ve collected, we conclude that state security forces perpetrated atrocity crimes against Rohingya, including crimes against humanity and possibly genocide.

We make several recommendations for urgent action, including calling on the United Kingdom (U.K.) to: implement targeted financial sanctions and a travel ban on select military leaders; apply unprecedented leverage on U.N. Security Council members to push for a global arms embargo, targeted sanctions and a referral of the situation to the International Criminal Court; work with other states to consider options for intervention in and additional accountability mechanisms for Rakhine; and hinge the provision of development funds on the cessation of violations.

Download full Submission HERE.