PERMANENT PEOPLES TRIBUNAL

Founder: LELIO BASSO

President: Secretary General:

FRANCO IPPOLITO (ITALY) GIANNI TOGNONI (ITALY)

OPENING SESSION ON MYANMARS STATE CRIMES AGAINST ROHINGYA, KACHIN

AND OTHER GROUPS

London, 6-7 March 2017

International State Crime Initiative

Queen Mary University London

CLOSING REMARKS BY THE PANEL OF JUDGES

Confronted with the lack of response to the critical violation of the peoples rights in
Myanmar and the request made on 24 November 2016 by nineteen Rohingya
organisations, we gathered here in London in an Opening Session of the Permanent
Peoples Tribunal, expanded to include the subsequent request by the Kachin National
Organisation.

Of particular significance is the participation of these two groups in a single process,

expressing mutual solidarity, and we invite other groups who may wish to bring similar
experiences to the attention of the Tribunal.

Over two days the panel of judges heard the allegations submitted by both groups and
received oral testimony from witnesses and experts, as well as video and written
documentation, dealing with:

Identity framing by exclusion the process of creating Myanmar as a single Burman

Buddhist entity, transforming it from a fluid pluralistic society that historically
embraced different ethnicities, nationalities, religions and ideologies;

Allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity against the Kachin group,
with particular reference to the escalation since the end of the ceasefire in 2011,
recently involving artillery and aerial bombardment, during which time over 10% of
the population has been internally displaced;

Allegations of crimes against humanity and genocide against the Rohingya group
with particular reference to three different periods: the Dragon King Operation in
1978; renewed violence escalating since 2012 (as testified in detail in a series of
deposition by refugees in Malaysia); and the extreme collective punishment of the
entire group since 9 October 2016 (as testified by victims and witnesses in Northern
Rakine State and among the estmated 70,000 new refugees in Bangladesh). As a
result of these policies and practices, the Rohingya population in Myanmar has
been halved in less than 40 years.
From all the accounts provided to us it is clear that the military is continuing and even
escalating its repressive role despite the change to a supposedly democratic and civilian
government of which so many people, including Kachin and Rohingya, had high
expectations.

This Opening Session was convened as a matter of urgency due to the drastic situation
developing over recent months. The tribunal was exposed in considerable detail to the
systematic violation of human rights: killing (including slaughtering of babies and children),
enforced disappearances, rape, forced labour, destruction of homes and denial of basic
rights to food, livelihood, health services, education and citizenship.

The panel of judges was convinced by the evidence presented that the charges of serious
crimes demand adjudication by the Permanent Peoples Tribunal. Accordingly, a full
session will be convened within the next six months with a view to producing a reasoned
judgment.

The Government of Myanmar was informed of this Opening Session and invited to
participate, but regrettably did not appear. Nevertheless, this statement will be forwarded to
them together with the Preliminary Indictment, and we reaffirm that they have the
possibility to present their case at the coming full session.

We wish to express our deepest appreciation to the many Rohingya and Kachin victims for
having the courage to come forward to tell of their suffering and to the lawyers, researchers
and activists who have collected this documentation to present as evidence to the
Permanent Peoples Tribunal.

We urge the United Nations, ASEAN and other international bodies to move beyond
descriptive reports of the situation; we call on the mass and social media to keep shining
the spotlight on this humanitarian crisis, and expose the truth of what is happening; and we
trust the continuing commitment of the social movements all over the world to stand in
solidarity and provide concrete assistance and action.
Daniel Feierstein

Denis Halliday

Helen Jarvis

London, 7 March 2017

GENERAL SECRETARIAT: VIA DELLA DOGANA VECCHIA 5 - 00186 ROMA

TEL: 0668801468 - FAX: 066877774
E-mail: ppt@permanentpeoplestribunal.org
Web: www.permanentpeoplestribunal.org