In his August 2020 report to the General Assembly on the situation of human rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar, the UN Secretary-General stated that: “As progress is made in the work of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, the cooperation of Member States in the region, including, first and foremost, that of Myanmar, will be crucial to obtain access to witnesses, victims and other sources of information. That will enable the Mechanism to effectively implement its mandate, thereby contributing to accountability for serious international crimes committed in Myanmar since 2011 and to the deterrence of future crimes.”
The Secretary-General added that: “Accountability for crimes committed, including against the Rohingya population in Myanmar, is paramount; without accountability, peace and national reconciliation efforts will be undermined.” He called upon States, including Myanmar, to cooperate fully with existing accountability mechanisms, including the Mechanism.
In his March 2021 report to the Security Council on conflict-related sexual violence, the Secretary-General called for “immediate, full, unrestricted and unmonitored access to the territory of Myanmar, including for the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar.”
In his August 2021 report to the General Assembly on the situation of human rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar, the UN Secretary-General stated that: “During the reporting period, progress in ending impunity and seeking redress for victims of serious international crimes and violations of international law, including human rights violations, remained limited. Cooperation with international entities in that regard, notably the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, was minimal. Neither mandate-holder has had access to the country.”
The Secretary-General added that: “Accountability for serious crimes committed in Myanmar, including against the Rohingya and other minorities, remains essential. Relevant mechanisms such as the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar can help to facilitate justice and accountability for past crimes and contribute to the deterrence of further atrocities.” He urged full cooperation with those mechanisms, including by giving access to Myanmar.
In his August 2023 report to the General Assembly on the situation of human rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar, the UN Secretary-General stated that: “To date, the Mechanism has engaged with over 700 partners and sources and collected and processed millions of information items, including over 200 witness statements and screening notes. In relation to crimes committed against Rohingya, the Mechanism has prepared over 100 evidence packs and analytical documents that are available for sharing.”
He urged Myanmar to cooperate fully with the Mechanism, including by giving access to the country, witnesses, victims and crime scenes and called upon States, in particular those in the region, to ensure the necessary arrangements for the Mechanism to work in their territory.
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