Campaigners call for Burmese military figures to be referred to ICC over Rohingya genocide

Findings of the UN independent fact-finding mission into human rights abuses in Burma were welcomed by the Burma Human Rights Network, which called on the UK and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to support a referral of Burmese military figures involved in abuses to the ICC.

The fact-finding mission has presented evidence that key figures in the military, including commander-in-chief of the armed forces Min Aung Hlaing, are responsible for genocide against the Rohingya people and should be tried at the ICC.

US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, described the UN report’s findings as consistent with the findings of the US State Department.

BHRN executive director Kyaw Win said: “The UK and UNSC must act upon the findings of the fact-finding mission in order to assure that the victims of this genocide are granted justice and so future atrocities in Burma can be prevented.

“The Rohingya have suffered for decades under discriminatory policies and military campaigns targeting civilians while the world shamefully refused to intervene. With a clear path to refer the perpetrators of crimes against the Rohingya to the ICC, there is no excuse to fail the Rohingya again.”