Dear friends and colleagues, Please see below a joint statement from 132 sitting MPs including 22 members of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) calling on members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) to refer the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Since Myanmar is not a signatory to the Rome Statute, the ICC does not have jurisdiction in the country and only the UNSC can trigger an investigation by the Court. Please also see a press release from APHR here. Apologies for any cross-posting. In solidarity, Aung Khaing Min
Executive Director
Progressive Voice
info@progressive-voice.org _______________________________________ Southeast Asian Lawmakers CAll for International Justice for Rohingya Atrocities 24 August 2018 By 132 sitting MPs including 22 members of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) We, the undersigned parliamentarians, are writing to express our grave concerns over the ongoing impunity for perpetrators involved in the atrocities committed against hundreds of thousands of Rohingya in Myanmar since 25 August 2017. We call on the international community to take urgent measures to bring those responsible for the crisis to account. One year ago, the Myanmar security forces and their proxies launched a violent crackdown in response to attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on police outposts in northern Rakhine State. The security forces' so-called "clearance operations" resulted in gross human rights violations, including widespread killings, arbitrary arrests, burnings of entire villages, and sexual violence, all of which have been extensively documented by international human rights organizations. More than 720,000 mainly Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh. There are reasonable grounds to believe that the crimes perpetrated in Rakhine State against the Rohingya constitute genocide and crimes against humanity. The response by the Myanmar government has thus far been woefully inadequate. The government has failed to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the atrocities in a credible and impartial manner, and they continue to block almost all access to affected areas in Rakhine State for international human rights observers. In fact, some of those who try to shed light on these human rights violations now face arbitrary criminal charges. Recent reports also show that the Rohingya population that remains in Rakhine State still face the risk of violence as well as widespread discrimination, which has resulted in appalling living conditions that are unsafe as well as a serious lack of access to basic services and livelihood opportunities. The dignified and voluntary repatriation of refugees from Bangladesh will not be possible as long as these conditions endure. In light of the above concerns, we, the undersigned parliamentarians, urge the international community to take urgent measures to hold accountable those responsible for human rights violations against the Rohingya people. We call upon members of the United Nations Security Council to immediately refer the human rights situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court. We also support the call by United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, to establish an international accountability mechanism that aims to impartially investigate and provide necessary assistance to future criminal proceedings that are in line with international standards. Further, we call on our own governments, fellow ASEAN member states with Myanmar, and ASEAN itself, to accelerate efforts and use its influence on Naypyidaw to press the government and military to end all forms of human rights violations against Rohingya. This must include abolishing all discriminatory policies and practices in order to address the root causes of the crisis. It is imperative that they also urge the Myanmar government to grant immediate and unconditional access into Rakhine State, particularly for humanitarian aid groups, independent observers, and local and international media. We also commit to utilizing our positions as parliamentarians to continue to push for accountability for the crimes perpetrated against the Rohingya, and call on fellow legislators internationally to do the same. These steps are crucial to not only bring an end to the perpetual cycle of violence and longstanding discrimination faced by Rohingya, but also to end the impunity that has been widely enjoyed by the Myanmar security forces for decades. Abdul Kadir Karding Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Abdul Rahman bin Mohamad Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Ach. Baidowi Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Adian Yunus Yusak Napitupulu Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Ahmad Bin Hassan Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Ahmad Tarmizi Bin Sulaiman Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Akbar Faizal Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Akmal Nasrullah Bin Mohd Nasir Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Al Muzzammil Yusuf Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Alice Lau Kiong Yieng Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Anas Thahir Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Anarulita Muchtar Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Andi Yuliani Paris Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Andreas Hugo Pareira Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Antonio L. Tinio Member of the House of Representatives, Philippines Bahrum Daido Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Bertu Merlas Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Budiman Sudjatmiko Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Carlos Isagani T. Zarate Member of the House of Representatives, Philippines Charles Chong Member of Parliament, Singapore Charles Santiago Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Desmond Junaidi Mahesa Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Diah Pitaloka Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Domingos Carvalho de Araújo Member of Parliament, Timor-Leste Domingos Lopes Lemos Member of Parliament, Timor-Leste Dossy Iskandar Prasetyo Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Duarte Nunes Member of Parliament, Timor-Leste Dwi Ria Latifa Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Edcel C. Lagman Member of the House of Representatives, Philippines Emmi A. De Jesus Member of the House of Representatives, Philippines Endang Maria Astuti Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Endro Suswantoro Yahman Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Eriko Sotarduga Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Erwin M. Singajuru Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Erwin TPL. Tobing Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Eva Kusuma Sundari Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Evita Nursanty Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Fahri Hamzah Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia G. Michael Jeno Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Gabriel Soares Member of Parliament, Timor-Leste Haerul Saleh Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Hamdhani Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Harry Poernomo Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Hasbullah Bin Osman Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Hassan Bin Abdul Karim Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Hendrawan Supratikno Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Henky Kurniadi Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Henry Yosodiningrat Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Indah Kurnia Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Intan Azura Mokhtar Member of Parliament, Singapore Irine Yusiana Roba Putri Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Irma Suryani Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Isabel Maria B. Freitas Ximenes Member of Parliament, Timor-Leste Itet Tridjajati Sumarijanto Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Johnny G. Plate Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Junico BP Siahaan Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Kaka J. Bag-ao Member of the House of Representatives, Philippines Kasthuriranni A/P Patto Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Khoo Poay Tiong Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Leila De Lima Senator, Philippines Ligia Filomena Coelho da Silva Member of Parliament, Timor-Leste Lim Lip Eng Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Lucia Taeki Member of Parliament, Timor-Leste Luthfi A. Mutty Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia M. Amir Uskara Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia M. Sarmuji Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Mahfuz Sidik Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Mansor Bin Othman Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Marcos Xavier Member of Parliament, Timor-Leste Maria Gorumali Barreto Member of Parliament, Timor-Leste Maria Terezinha Viegas Member of Parliament, Timor-Leste Martin Hutabarat Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Martri Agoeng Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Maruarar Sirait Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Masinton Pasaribu Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Mastura Binti Mohd Yazid Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Melchias Marcus Mekeng Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Mercy Chriesty Barends Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Mohammad Suryo Alam Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Mohd Shahar Bin Abdullah Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Mordi Anak Bimol Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Muhammad Romahurmuziy Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Muslimin Bin Yahaya Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Nancy Shukri Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Nasyirul Falah Amru Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Neng Eem Marhamah Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Nihayatul Wafiroh Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Noor Azmi Bin Ghazali Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Nurhayati Ali Assegaf Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Ono Surono Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Oscar Ling Chai Yew Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Raul A. Daza Member of the House of Representatives, Philippines Reni Marlinawati Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Ribka Tjiptaning Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Rieke Diah Pitaloka Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Risa Hontiveros Senator, Philippines Risa Mariska Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Rohani Binti Abdul Karim Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Rosol Bin Wahid Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Rubiah Binti Wang Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Rufinus Hotmaulana Hutauruk Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Rusnah Binti Aluai Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Sabri Bin Azit Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Sadarestuwati Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Saiful Bahri Ruray Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Shabudin Yahaya Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Sirmadji Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Siti Zailah Binti Mohd Yusoff Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Sofyan Tan Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Steven Choong Shiau Yoon Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Su Keong Siong Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Supriyanto Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Syaiful Bahri Anshori Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Syarif Abdullah Alkadrie Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Syed Ibrahim Bin Syed Noh Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Tan Yee Kew Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Taufiq R. Abdullah Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Teddy Jr. Brawner Baguilat Member of the House of Representatives, Philippines Tom S. Villarin Member of the House of Representatives, Philippines Tony Wardoyo Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Totok Daryanto Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Trimedya Panjaitan Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Tuti N. Roosdiono Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Tutik Kusuma Wardhani Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Vanda Sarundajang Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Wenny Haryanto Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Willie Anak Mongin Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Wiryanti Sukamdani Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Wong Chen Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Wong Ling Biu Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia Yaqut Cholil Qoumas Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia Yulian Gunhar Member of the House of Representatives, Indonesia
Download this statement in English HERE.
Download this statement in Burmese HERE. ______________________________________________________________________________________ | 
