UN rights chief urges states to refer Myanmar to ICC

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Monday urged UN member states to refer the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court, warning that years of international diplomacy have failed to resolve the country's deepening crisis or hold perpetrators accountable for atrocities against civilians.

Mounting civilian toll and arms flows

Speaking at the 63rd session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Turk called on states to halt transfers of arms, ammunition, jet fuel and dual-use items to Myanmar where there is a clear risk they could facilitate violations of international law. Credible sources have verified the killing of more than 1,200 civilians during the reporting period, while open sources indicate the actual figure could exceed 3,000, he said, noting that airstrikes remained the leading cause of civilian deaths.

Rohingya face 'systematic' abuses

Turk highlighted the "catastrophic" situation of Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state, saying they face "widespread and systematic" violations including arbitrary arrests, torture, sexual and gender-based violence, enforced disappearance and forced labor by both the military and the Arakan Army. He warned there could be "no question" of returning Rohingya and other refugees amid current insecurity, saying such returns would constitute a "flagrant breach" of the non-refoulement principle.

Conditions for engagement

The UN rights chief cautioned against efforts to normalize relations with Myanmar's military junta without evidence of compliance with international obligations, stating: "We need more than so-called 'calibrated engagement'; we need human-rights-based engagement." Any engagement must be conditioned on ending violence, allowing humanitarian access and releasing those arbitrarily detained, he added, calling for all states to support the people of Myanmar politically and financially in their demands for democracy, justice and human rights.