YANGON, Myanmar- Court martial for alleged northern Rakhine abuses starts Tuesday

November 26, 2019November 26, 2019 Contributor 0 Comment YANGON Myanmar- Court martial for alleged northern Rakhine abuses starts Tuesday

A Tatmadaw soldier stands guard at Goke Pi police outpost in Buthidaung township, northern Rakhine State. Photo: EPA

The court martial proceedings for Tatmadaw troops accused of violating military regulations during operations in northern Rakhine State in 2017, will start on Tuesday, the Tatmadaw said in a statement on Monday.

The proceedings against the accused will be held at a local Tatmadaw regiment in Buthidaung township, the statement added.

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“The Court of Inquiry, chaired by Major General Myat Kyaw and established in accordance with the Defence Services Act and the Defence Services Rules, submitted its opinion that some incidents that happened in Gu Dar Pyin village should be tried by court martial,” it said.

In February 2018, an Associated Press report said that at least five mass graves containing the bodies of Muslim civilians had been found in Gu Dar Pyin, which the government denied, saying the bodies were those of “terrorists.”

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The statement did not provide details about the number of troops to be tried in the court martial proceedings. Neither did it provide details about the accusations.

The Tatmadaw vowed to cooperate with the Independent Commission of Inquiry that is looking into alleged human rights abuses perpetrated by the Tatmadaw in northern Rakhine. The commission, headed by senior Philippine diplomat Rosario Manalo, is expected to release its report next month.

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The government is assembling a team of legal experts to present its defence against a lawsuit filed before the UN’s International Court of Justice on November 11 that accuses Myanmar of committing genocide against Muslims in northern Rakhine.

State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said she will lead the team to the hearings in The Hague, Netherlands, next month. / JOHN GRAFILO

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