Burma’s Interim Govt Ready To Prosecute Military Council in ICC

By Network Media Group
Wednesday, June 30, 2021

The interim government established by lawmakers in Burma overthrown during the coup is preparing to prosecute the military council for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“They cannot escape international law…Our first priority is to prosecute the military council for committing crimes against humanity…Our second priority is to prosecute the military for committing war crimes,” Thein Oo, the justice minister of National Unity Government (NUG), told NMG.

Proving the Tatmadaw is guilty of genocide he said will be more difficult because they need evidence it was “systematic” and something that “happened across the country”. Thein Oo said the Tatmadaw’s human rights abuses in Chin and Kayah (aka Karenni) states are genocides, but they will first prove the military committed crimes against humanity because this is indisputable.

Dr Sasa, NUG’s international cooperation minister and an ethnic Chin, said at a recent press conference the interim government verified 28,000 of the 400,000 human rights violations the military committed. After discussions with experts, they chose 400 cases. NUG will select half of these to report to the ICC with the law firm it hired.

As army chief and chairman for State Administrative Council, NUG wants Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing held accountable for his crimes.

“We need to make sure all of the cases are verified and in line with ICC’s international standards of law. Additionally, we are working with the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar formed by the UN,” Dr Sasa said. “We are working hard to prosecute the military council,” he said.

According to NUG’s human rights ministry, at least 22 people died during interrogation in the detention camp and the military is using excessive force to arrest citizens.

During the recent International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the ministry vowed to action against the military council in the international courts.