ATROCITIES IN MYANMAR

Rohingya women gang-raped: UN

Some girls raped to death; woman held, raped repeatedly for 45 days

A special representative of the United Nations secretary general yesterday painted a horrendous picture of systemic rape and other sexual abuses against Rohingya women and girls in Rakhine state by the Myanmar security forces, local Buddhist mobs and other ethnic groups. Rapes and other sexual abuses were carried out as a tool to force the Rohingyas out of Myanmar, according to the findings revealed by Pramila Patten, special representative of the UN secretary-general on sexual violence in conflict, at a press conference at a local hotel prior to her departure for Ney York wrapping her visit to Bangladesh.

Her request to visit Rakhine state was denied by the Myanmar authorities, she informed. “Our observations point to a pattern of widespread atrocities, including sexual violence against Rohingya women and girls, who have been systematically targeted on account of their ethnicity and religion,” said Patten, who spent three days in Cox’s Bazar speaking to Rohingya women and girls.

“A clear picture is emerging of the alleged perpetrators of these atrocities and their modus operandi. Sexual violence is being commanded, orchestrated and perpetrated by the Armed Forces of Myanmar, otherwise known as the Tatmadaw,”

she said. “Other actors involved include the Myanmar Border Guard Police and militias composed of Rakhine Buddhists and other

ethnic groups. Any actor that commits, commands or condones sexual violence against civilians must be held to account,” she added.

The special representative said, “The forms of sexual violence we consistently heard about from survivors include: gang-rape by multiple soldiers, forced public nudity and humiliation, and sexual slavery in military captivity.”

“One survivor described being held in captivity by the Myanmar Armed Forces for 45 days, during which time she was repeatedly raped. Others still bore visible scars, bruises, and bite marks, attesting to their ordeal,” she said.

“Several sources informed us that some women and girls have been literally raped to death,” she added.

“These brutal acts of sexual violence occurred in the context of collective persecution, the burning and footing of villages, torture, mutilation, and the slaughtering of civilians - even babies, who represent the next generation and the future of this community,” said Patten, a lawyer from Mauritius.

“The widespread threat and use of sexual violence was a driver and ‘push factor’ for forced displacement on a massive scale, and a calculated tool of terror aimed at the extermination and removal of the Rohingya as a group,” she said.

Women and girls have witnessed their families being slaughtered in front of them and seen their homes and villages razed to the ground,” said the representative.

“In Kutupalong camp, a woman told me: They slaughtered our babies, they slaughtered our husbands in front of us. When we wanted to cry, they forced us not to,” she said.

Some expressed a desire to return home, provided they would be granted citizenship and equal status while others said they have nothing left to return to but ashes, said Patten.

“The wounds are extremely raw. Women and girls dissolved into tears when recounting the extreme brutality they both endured and witnessed,” she said.

“When I visited a safe space for women and girls, one woman shared three concrete recommendations that made a deep impression on me. She said: we want peace; we want a leader who can take responsibility for our community; and we want a safe space where we can share our stories with our sisters,” said the special representative.

“All of the women I spoke with said they wanted to see the perpetrators punished. They all - without exception - demanded justice,” she said, adding that and yet, not a single soldier or commander has been called to account for these atrocities. “In the framework of my security council mandate, I applied to visit Myanmar to    discuss accountability and the need to bring the military into compliance with their obligations under international law; however, my request to visit has been denied at this time,” said Patten.

Responding to a question, she said that upon return to New York she will brief the UN secretary-general on her

findings as well as meeting the prosecutor of the international criminal court to raise the issue. To another question, Patten refused to categorically describe the atrocities as ethnic cleansing or genocide or crimes against humanity as nothing is yet to be proved,

But, she noted that there might be elements that fall within the crimes mentioned above. Responding to a volley of questions regarding the role of the UN to deal with these atrocities, the special representative said that a resolution by the UN security council can direct the international criminal court (ICC) to launch an investigation into the atrocities. Alternatively, she said that the ICC itself can launch an investigation into the atrocities on its own.

When asked if she is going to recommend for such an investigation by the ICC, Patten replied, “I don’t have the mandate to do that.”

ATROCITIES IN MYANMAR

Rohingya women gang-raped: UN

Some girls raped to death; woman held, raped repeatedly for 45 days

A special representative of the United Nations secretary general yesterday painted a horrendous picture of systemic rape and other sexual abuses against Rohingya women and girls in Rakhine state by the Myanmar security forces, local Buddhist mobs and other ethnic groups. Rapes and other sexual abuses were carried out as a tool to force the Rohingyas out of Myanmar, according to the findings revealed by Pramila Patten, special representative of the UN secretary-general on sexual violence in conflict, at a press conference at a local hotel prior to her departure for Ney York wrapping her visit to Bangladesh. Her request to visit Rakhine state was denied by the Myanmar authorities, she informed. Our observations point to a pattern of widespread atrocities, including sexual violence against Rohingya women and girls, who have been systematically targeted on account of their ethnicity and religion, said Patten, who spent three days in Coxs Bazar speaking to Rohingya women and girls. A clear picture is emerging of the alleged perpetrators of these atrocities and their modus operandi. Sexual violence is being commanded, orchestrated and perpetrated by the Armed Forces of Myanmar, otherwise known as the Tatmadaw, she said. Other actors involved include the Myanmar Border Guard Police and militias composed of Rakhine Buddhists and other ethnic groups. Any actor that commits, commands or condones sexual violence against civilians must be held to account, she added. The special representative said, The forms of sexual violence we consistently heard about from survivors include: gang-rape by multiple soldiers, forced public nudity and humiliation, and sexual slavery in military captivity. One survivor described being held in captivity by the Myanmar Armed Forces for 45 days, during which time she was repeatedly raped. Others still bore visible scars, bruises, and bite marks, attesting to their ordeal, she said. Several sources informed us that some women and girls have been literally raped to death, she added. These brutal acts of sexual violence occurred in the context of collective persecution, the burning and footing of villages, torture, mutilation, and the slaughtering of civilians - even babies, who represent the next generation and the future of this community, said Patten, a lawyer from Mauritius. The widespread threat and use of sexual violence was a driver and push factor for forced displacement on a massive scale, and a calculated tool of terror aimed at the extermination and removal of the Rohingya as a group, she said. Women and girls have witnessed their families being slaughtered in front of them and seen their homes and villages razed to the ground, said the representative. In Kutupalong camp, a woman told me: They slaughtered our babies, they slaughtered our husbands in front of us. When we wanted to cry, they forced us not to, she said. Some expressed a desire to return home, provided they would be granted citizenship and equal status while others said they have nothing left to return to but ashes, said Patten. The wounds are extremely raw. Women and girls dissolved into tears when recounting the extreme brutality they both endured and witnessed, she said. When I visited a safe space for women and girls, one woman shared three concrete recommendations that made a deep impression on me. She said: we want peace; we want a leader who can take responsibility for our community; and we want a safe space where we can share our stories with our sisters, said the special representative. All of the women I spoke with said they wanted to see the perpetrators punished. They all - without exception - demanded justice, she said, adding that and yet, not a single soldier or commander has been called to account for these atrocities. In the framework of my security council mandate, I applied to visit Myanmar to discuss accountability and the need to bring the military into compliance with their obligations under international law; however, my request to visit has been denied at this time, said Patten. Responding to a question, she said that upon return to New York she will brief the UN secretary-general on her findings as well as meeting the prosecutor of the international criminal court to raise the issue. To another question, Patten refused to categorically describe the atrocities as ethnic cleansing or genocide or crimes against humanity as nothing is yet to be proved, But, she noted that there might be elements that fall within the crimes mentioned above. Responding to a volley of questions regarding the role of the UN to deal with these atrocities, the special representative said that a resolution by the UN security council can direct the international criminal court (ICC) to launch an investigation into the atrocities. Alternatively, she said that the ICC itself can launch an investigation into the atrocities on its own. When asked if she is going to recommend for such an investigation by the ICC, Patten replied, I dont have the mandate to do that.