Arakan News Agency
Human Rights Watch said the denial by the Myanmar government commission of accusations of serious human rights violations against Rohingya Muslims in Arakan state, despite considerable evidence from independent sources, underscored the urgent need to allow full access to the UN fact-finding mission mandated by the United Nations.
In a statement, the HRW described the investigation by the Myanmar army as insufficient and that the findings of the National Commission of Inquiry in Arakan State, headed by Vice President Myint Swe, on violations against the ethnic Rohingya following a eight-month probe investigation were incorrect.
“The Commission’s findings are just the last attempt to erase gross violations against Rohingya last year,” said Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch in Asia. “These atrocities will not disappear, and the sooner the government allows the UN fact-finding mission to enter, the more they can be identified and held accountable.”
Robertson called on Myanmar’s Friend and diplomats to tell the government that they must end their tactics of rejection and intimidation and stop denying the right of victims to the truth.
In a summary of the report obtained by Human Rights Watch, the Committee concluded that it was unable to ascertain cases of rape, gang rape, torture and killings in the villages they visited, and found that 1152 buildings were demolished in 13 villages, but said it was very difficult to determine who set the fire to the buildings.
The report noted that in February and March, 21 cases had been brought to court for murder, rape, arson, destruction of evidence, loss of property and unlawful killings, but all complaints were dropped after the investigation, saying some complaints were fabricated.
“There is no possibility of crimes against humanity, there is no evidence of ethnic cleansing, according to UN accusations,” Swe told reporters at the news conference on Sunday. He also rejected the possibility of genocide.
In its report, the Commission agreed that violations of security forces could have occurred and that others needed further investigation.
Human Rights Watch said the 13-member panel used investigation techniques that led to incomplete, inaccurate and false information.
Human Rights Watch documented extrajudicial killings, rape of women and girls, and the burning of at least 1,500 buildings. Rohingya villagers told Human Rights Watch that the security forces burned the buildings.
