Rights groups support calls for investigations into sexual violence against Rohingya
The Myanmar Government are urged to comply with an UN investigation into the military’s part in sexual violence against Rohingya women and girls, a joint press release says.
Human Rights Watch and Fortify Rights submitted an 11- page joint report on cases of rape and sexual violence against Rohingya to CEDAW, the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The rights groups say their information,
‘outlines the findings of our organizations through several separate on-the-ground investigations in 2016, 2017, and 2018 that documented widespread human rights violations committed against ethnic Rohingya women and girls by Myanmar security forces.’
The submission of evidence complements CEDAW’s requests for the Myanmar government to publish a report on the condition of the female population of Rakhine State. The deadline for Myanmar’s report is May 28th. This will be the third time CEDAW has called on Myanmar to produce a report like this.
Skye Wheeler, emergencies researcher for the Women’s Rights Division of HRW said,
‘The CEDAW committee’s rare request for Myanmar to report on sexual violence against Rohingya women and girls outside normal reporting procedures shows the extreme nature of the military’s mass atrocities,”
Hundreds of interviews taken by Fortify Rights and HRW with refugees in the camps, make up the basis of their information. The testimonies reveal regular instances of gang rape, abuses, killing of elderly relatives and the throwing of children into fires, which was also highlighted in Xchange’s Rohingya Survey 2017.
Matthew Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Fortify Rights said,
‘Myanmar’s security forces used brutal gang rapes to terrify and injure as part of their ongoing attack on the Rohingya population,’.
Within CEDAW’s requests, are for the Myanmar Government to provide healthcare to victims of sexual abuse as well as showing its ability to bring justice to those affected by it.
‘The CEDAW committee’s report request was an important step, but the UN should now ramp up its pressure on the government to end its atrocities against women and girls as well as its denials of the abuses ever taking place.’, Smith continued.
Sources:
Provide info on rape of Rohingya women; Daily Star; https://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/provide-info-rape-rohingya-women-1581229
Submission to CEDAW regarding Myanmar’s Exceptional Report on the Situation of Women and Girls from Northern Rakhine State; HRW/Fortify Rights; https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f15b18127e37f74088063b773/files/2b6b7a73-6910-4369-8eb4-4b420cff305c/201805myanmar_cedaw_submission.01.pdf