Statement by Nicholas Koumjian, Head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar
Mister President,
Excellencies,
Unfortunately, I must report that the situation in Myanmar continues to deteriorate. Serious international crimes are being committed with greater frequency and intensity.
The Myanmar military is increasingly relying on aerial attacks, and civilians are the principal victims. Attacks escalated in the run-up to the elections completed in January and have continued unabated. Two weeks ago, the military bombed a monastery in Sagaing Region during a Buddhist retreat – one of more than 600 aerial attacks on religious buildings since the military coup. Schools and hospitals are also frequently hit.
The Myanmar military is making greater use of paramotors and drones, which are harder to detect than planes, giving people less time to seek shelter. We have also observed an increase in “double tap” strikes, where a second attack hits first responders and those helping the wounded.
Our investigations are progressing. We have identified a number of units involved in these attacks and the airbases from which they operate.
We have also advanced investigations into torture in military-run detention facilities and identified commanders and interrogators. Our evidence includes accounts of horrific sexual and gender-based crimes, including gang rape and the burning of genitals with cigarettes.
Mr. President,
Our mandate from this Council is to investigate serious international crimes committed in Myanmar. We collect evidence of such crimes regardless of the political loyalty, ethnicity or religion of the perpetrators or the victims.
In Rakhine State, the conflict has intensified significantly, and we are investigating allegations of killings, arbitrary detention, torture and forced displacement committed by various armed groups.
All ethnicities in Rakhine State have suffered from these crimes. Many Rakhine and other groups have been victims of aerial bombings, artillery attacks and obstructions to humanitarian assistance. Rohingya and other minorities caught between the combatants continue to take enormous risks to escape the violence. Since early 2024, more than 154,000 Rohingya have crossed into Bangladesh, joining close to a million others who cannot safely return home as the violence and insecurity in Rakhine continues.
We have collected substantial evidence from more than 1,600 sources, including videos, photographs, geospatial imagery, social media posts, and information on bank transactions and weapons supply chains. We have collected over 750 testimonies from witnesses. This evidence is helping us establish what crimes happened, who was responsible and who may have financed, facilitated or benefited from these crimes.
The Mechanism has shared extensive evidence and analysis with authorities pursuing accountability for crimes committed against the Rohingya, including at the International Criminal Court and in Argentina. We have also shared information concerning crimes committed since the 2021 military takeover with authorities from several States.
Earlier this year, the International Court of Justice held hearings concerning Myanmar’s obligations under the Genocide Convention. The Mechanism provided much of the evidence now before the Judges in that case.
I am grateful to the many brave individuals who take enormous risks to share information with the Mechanism. They do so because they want the truth to be known and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
Our responsibility is to ensure that their courage is not in vain.
The Mechanism will continue working to collect evidence that will prove the crimes and identities of those responsible and help national and international authorities use this evidence to bring those responsible to justice.
Thank you.
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