‘Lack of access to Myanmar affects Rohingya genocide investigation’

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan has said the lack of access to Myanmar is hampering his investigation into the alleged Rohingya genocide.

Speaking to reporters in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka, he said he has access to war-torn areas of Ukraine but not to Myanmar.

He said this affected his ability to gather evidence and hard facts.

A 10-member delegation led by Khan met Rohingya refugees, including genocide survivors, to gather information about the situation in Myanmar.

In 2019, the U.N. Court authorized a full investigation into the alleged crimes of genocide against the Rohingya in Myanmar.

“There was a gap between promises and international delivery of justice,” he said, promising to speed up the investigation.

“I gave a commitment to the Rohingya,” he said, adding that he will come again next year to hear from the Rohingya.

Khan regretted that the persecuted Rohingya have spent the last six years in refugee camps. He said no action has been taken against the Myanmar military responsible for the crimes.

Meanwhile, at least five Rohingya men were killed last week in a deadly firefight in Cox’s Bazar camp. Among the dead was a person who was scheduled to testify before the ICC prosecutor.

Khan denied that the killings were related to the ICC investigation.

He called on the global community to provide more resources for the persecuted community.

He said the welfare of the Rohingya is not the sole responsibility of the Bangladesh government.

Bangladesh is home to nearly 1.2 million Rohingya, most of whom fled a brutal military crackdown in Rakhine in August 2017.

While most of them still live in overcrowded camps in the southern district of Cox’s Bazar, some 30,000 of them have been relocated to Bhasan Char Island since late 2020.