Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

Myanmar’s army has said on Monday that it had set up a military court in the nation in order to probe its conduct during a crackdown over the Rohingya Muslims in 2017 that has forced some 730,000 Rohingya to flee the country into neighbouring India and Bangladesh.

According to Reuters news reports, in a statement, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said the military court which compromises two colonels and major-general will probe an event in western Myanmar’s Rakhine state in August 2017.

The military said, “The information is released that the investigation court was formed with the following persons to further scrutinize and confirm the respective incidents.”

The court is expected to respond to all allegations levelled against security forces accused of mass killings, arson and rape, made by the rights group activists and the United Nations (UN).

Last year, a UN fact-finding mission has said that the military campaign was orchestrated with “genocidal intent” and has recommended Min Aung Hlaing along with five others with the “gravest crimes under international law”.

However, Myanmar denied all allegations and accusations of rape, mass killing or other abuses by country’s military forces, though Hlaing has said last month “a number of security men may have been involved”.

Nicholas Bequelin, Southeast Asia and Pacific Director of Amnesty International said the new military court is “another bad faith manoeuvre” to balance international pressure.

Bequelin said, “The military stands accused of the gravest crimes under international law and has shown no sign of reform.”

Referring to the army, he added, “The idea that the Tatmadaw could investigate itself and ensure justice and accountability is both dangerous and delusional.”

 

 

 

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