A report by the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK
This report documents physical evidence of atrocities committed against the Rohingya by the Burmese Army.
On October 9th, 2016, the long saga of oppression endured by Myanmar’s Rohingya minority entered a new phase. For the first time in a generation, members of the group staged an armed attack, on this occasion against three Border Guard posts, killing nine.
The assault was answered with months of systematic and widespread violence perpetrated by Myanmar’s military. A “flash report” released by the UN’s Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on February 3 concluded that these operations likely involved crimes against humanity; the paper detailed acts of “devastating cruelty” including systematic rape, torture and killing.
The report contains further evidence advances the civilian population was targeted in an organised manner by state forces which systematically targeted civilians, including children, in a campaign of killing and cruelty.
What is new about the material contained in this report is that it documents, through photographs, testimony and forensic analysis, physical evidence of attacks against civilians.
One case study is of a boy aged 8 who was burnt when soldiers set fire to his home after killing his father.
Another case study is of a 16-year-old who was shot in the back whilst running away when the Burmese Army attacked his village.
The report argues that the international community must not allow the obstruction of the Fact-Finding Mission by the government of Burma to lead to further impunity for crimes being committed. If obstructed by the government, the Mission must collect evidence by other means, and this report demonstrates that it is possible to collect evidence in neighbouring countries.
The report contains detailed practical recommendations of steps the government of Burma should take to address the situation.