Jonathan, Narinjara News, 29 May 2024

The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar(IIMM) has requested the military junta to provide the information regardingthe recent arrest and killing of two young men hailed from Myauk Khin Yanvillage.

Nicholas Koumjian, head of the IIMM, issued astatement on 27 May and urged the junta to respond immediately.

The IIMM made numerous requests to the junta  forrevealing information about many crimes.

It includes crimes allegedly committed by both thesecurity forces and ethnic armed groups. Till date, the military hasnot responded to any query.

Now the IIMM has requested the junta once  againfor information relating to the young men from the Magway region.

It may be mentioned that a video went viral on socialmedia where armed men are seen tying two youths and finally hanging them on atree. Then they built a fire beneath and killed the youths by burning alive.

The incident  took place around  threemonths back where the victims have been identified as Phoe Tay and Thar Htaung.They were in their early twenties and suspected to be members of an anti-juntagroup named  Yaw Defence Forces.

The IIMM has been conducting an impartial probe intothe incident. As part of the investigation, it asked the junta to shareinformation about the units in that area and their commanders, circumstancesthat led to the detention of both the victims and also the persons  whowitnessed the crime.

The IIMM chief urged the military rulers to fullycooperate with them as it’s mandated under resolutions of the United NationsHuman Rights Council and its general assembly.

The evidence collected by the IIMM will be used toobjectively investigate and build criminal cases against the perpetratorsresponsible for the serious crimes. 

The primary goal is to break the cycle of impunity tothe criminals and finally deliver justice to  the people of Myanmar.

It may be mentioned that the  IIMM was created bythe UN Human Rights Council in 2018 to collect and analyze evidence of the mostserious international crimes and other violations of international laws thattook place in Myanmar since 2011. 

It aims to facilitate justice and accountability bypreserving and organizing the evidence and preparing case files that can beused by the authorities to prosecute individuals in national, regional andinternational courts, concluded theIIMM statement.