The Report of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission (IIFFM) on Myanmar makes for harrowing reading. Ireland has strongly supported the mandate of the IIFFM since it was established in March 2017 and I offer my thanks to them for their work and for this report. The findings of the IIFFM corroborate many of the eyewitness accounts which have emerged from Myanmar in recent times. In particular the report provides credible findings that human rights violations amounting to crimes against humanity and war crimes have been committed by members of the Burmese Military (Tatmadaw) and other security forces in Rakhine, Kachin and Shan States. These crimes include the widespread killing of civilians; rape and sexual violence; torture and enforced disappearances.
The IIFFM’s report also finds that there is sufficient evidence of crimes committed in Rakhine State being so grave that they warrant a competent court to determine the liability for the crime of genocide of those in the Tatmadaw chain of command.
I fully support the findings of the IIFFM. The work of the IIFFM in investigating allegations, recording victim testimony and gathering other evidence, so that it can be preserved for further criminal proceedings, is crucial to ensuring full accountability.
The report of the IIFFMM notes that the crimes in Myanmar “stem from deep fractures in society and structural problems that have been apparent and unaddressed for decades.”
It is therefore imperative that Myanmar and the international community respond comprehensively to the findings of the report and its recommendations in a way that addresses the long-standing root causes of this crisis and in a manner that ensures the perpetrators of the crimes described in the report are swiftly brought to justice.
I have taken note of the recommendations and Ireland is actively engaging with our international partners in preparing responses, including at the upcoming 39th Session of the Human Rights Council where this report will be formally presented.
