Nine years on, the Rohingya are still waiting for justice

Statement by Nicholas Koumjian, Head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar

Geneva, 24 August – Tomorrow marks nine years since the Myanmar security forces launched violent operations against the Rohingya in Rakhine State, resulting in widespread killings, sexual violence and destruction of homes and livelihoods. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya were forced to flee to Bangladesh and other neighbouring countries. Nine years later they remain forcibly displaced, unable to safely return to their homes.   

To date, no one has been arrested or held accountable for these crimes. While they still carry the trauma of what they endured in 2017, many Rohingya say that these are their darkest days. They want to return home, but they would be returning to a warzone – their communities devastated by years of violence, displacement, discrimination and insecurity. Those who remain in Myanmar continue to face serious threats to their safety including sexual and gender-based violence and unlawful killings, forcing many to risk perilous sea journeys to escape. 

The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar is investigating past and current atrocities against the Rohingya to help ensure that these crimes do not go unpunished. We have collected and analysed a vast amount of evidence and interviewed hundreds of survivors, eyewitnesses, and people with insider knowledge to identify those that bear the greatest responsibility for these crimes. We are not only looking at members of the Myanmar security forces but also the Arakan Army, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army and other armed groups. We are also investigating individuals and entities who may bear criminal responsibility, including politicians, religious figures and corporate actors who may have helped plan, incite or profit from these crimes.   

Earlier this year, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) held public hearings in the case concerning whether Myanmar failed to meet its obligations under the Genocide Convention to prevent and punish genocide against the Rohingya. The Mechanism provided the parties to the case with significant evidence and analysis relating to the events of 2017. The Court’s decision will be an important development in efforts to address Myanmar’s responsibility for crimes committed against the Rohingya. 

The Mechanism has also shared evidence and analysis with the authorities involved in cases concerning the Rohingya before the International Criminal Court (ICC), and in Argentina and other jurisdictions. This includes information that identifies units of the Myanmar security forces, corporations and others involved in destroying and repurposing Rohingya land in ways that sought to erase their presence. 

For survivors, nine years is far too long to wait for justice. The crimes committed in 2017, and the suffering Rohingya continue to endure today, underscore the urgency of accountability. The Mechanism remains committed to helping to bring those most responsible to justice.  

The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM or Mechanism) was created by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2018 to collect and analyse evidence of the most serious international crimes and other violations of international law committed in Myanmar since 2011. It aims to facilitate justice and accountability by preserving and organizing this evidence and preparing analysis that can be used by authorities to prosecute individuals in national, regional and international courts.