UN Press Conference: War Crimes in Myanmar Are Increasing in Severity

Escalating Crisis in Myanmar

• ⚠️ The situation in Myanmar is worsening, with an increasing intensity, frequency, and severity of war crimes being committed.
• 🎯 The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) collects evidence of serious international crimes to facilitate prosecutions.
• ⚖️ The scope of crimes the IIMM investigates has greatly expanded since the 2021 military coup, while resources have not kept pace.

International Legal Processes

• 🌍 Evidence regarding the Rohingya crisis is being shared with ongoing investigations, including at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
• ⚖️ The ICC is investigating the crime of deportation related to the Rohingya being forced into Bangladesh, with potential arrest warrants sought.
• 🏛️ The IIMM has also shared evidence with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case filed by The Gambia, alleging Myanmar failed to fulfill its obligations under the Genocide Convention.
• 💰 The mechanism is exploring evidence of violations of sanctions laws, where military material is being supplied to Myanmar.

Concerns Regarding Upcoming Elections

• 🗳️ The upcoming elections are viewed with concern, described as "elections without a choice."
• ⚖️ Targeting individuals for participating in or facilitating the election is considered a violation of the laws of war, as these individuals are not combatants.
• ✈️ There are concerns that the military may use the election as a pretext to retake territories, potentially starting with air strikes on civilian areas.

Challenges in Evidence Collection and Resources

• 🚫 A significant challenge is the lack of access to Myanmar, with authorities not cooperating and inability to visit crime scenes.
• 🤝 Consent from neighboring states is also needed to interview witnesses located there, further hindering evidence collection.
• 📉 Financial challenges are critical, with shrinking resources despite an expanding number of crimes.
• 📉 The IIMM risks losing essential units, including its open-source unit and experts on sexual violence, and potentially up to a third of its staff due to funding shortfalls.
• 🗺️ The mechanism has no staff on the ground in Myanmar, as permission has never been granted by the authorities.