A United Nations mission established to document possible genocide in Myanmar has determined the country should be held responsible for crimes against the predominantly Muslim Rohingya minority.
The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar found security forces committed “genocidal acts” against the Rohingya during security clearance operations in 2017. The report also stated that evidence of “genocidal intent” by the state “has strengthened,” and warned “there is a serious risk that genocidal actions may occur or recur.”
Myanmar security forces launched security clearance operations against the Rohingya around the same time Rohingya insurgents attacked police posts in August 2017. Interviews conducted by the U.N. human rights office in September and October 2017 revealed clearance operations likely began before the insurgent attacks.
The U.N. found evidence of “killings, rapes and gang rapes, torture, forced displacement and other grave human rights violations” by security forces during the clearance operations. In addition to killing thousands of people, security operations forced more than 740,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh. The report notes that Myanmar’s military “has cut the lifelines of ethnic Rakhine communities, restricting both people’s freedom of movement and humanitarian access.”
The Rohingya are subject to “movement restrictions” which affect “their ability to sustain themselves, obtain an education, seek medical assistance or even pray and congregate.” They face harassment, interrogation, and extortion at security checkpoints.
Government authorities continue to destroy Rohingya villages, wiping out over 200 settlements between August 2017 and April 2019.
Since the clearance operations concluded, the government has continued to attack the Rohingya by denying citizenship, “access to land they once lived and relied on,” and “items essential to human survival, in particular food.” Property confiscations and movement restrictions have limited the Rohingya’s access to food from farming, and restrictions on humanitarian aid further limit food availability.
Tensions between the Rohingya and the Burmese government extends back decades. Prior to a 1962 military coup, the Rohingya were Burmese citizens. After the coup, military leaders launched campaigns that drove hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to Bangladesh. A 1982 law, which remains in effect, effectively stripped the Rohingya of citizenship. Myanmar’s government considers the Rohingya to be illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
Marzuki Darusman, the head of the mission, said there is potential for more genocide.
“The threat of genocide continues for the remaining Rohingya,” said Darusman. Around 600,000 Rohingya remain in “deplorable” conditions in Myanmar.
