Revealing Burma’s System of Impunity – New Briefer from Burma Lawyers’ Council
September 2011
Burma Lawyers’ Council has released a new briefing paper, “Revealing Burma’s System of Impunity: A Briefer for the Commission of Inquiry Campaign,” analyzing the inability of the domestic judicial system to ensure accountability for atrocities committed in Burma.
The briefer concludes that the judicial system in Burma only serves to ensure impunity for crimes committed by those in power and therefore the international community has both the right and duty to act.
This ten-page briefer includes detailed analysis of:
- The system of impunity that has been embedded in Burma’s constitutional structure;
- The unlikelihood that Burma’s military regime will act on its promise to the international community to halt heinous crimes and create a system of accountability; and
- The need for the international community to take action in order for a truly impartial investigation into human rights abuses to take place.
True reform of the domestic judicial system is impossible under the current legal framework as recent actions by the regime only serve to maintain the status quo. The international community should not be distracted by the regime’s empty promises to uphold human rights principles, and must establish a Commission of Inquiry.
“We have been waiting too long for justice to be served for victims of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Burma,” said U Thein Oo, Chairman of Burma Lawyers’ Council. “The perpetrators are still at large and there are no echoes of preventive mechanisms even at the so-called newly formed Legislative Assemblies. Waiting in vain for action is out of the question.”
For more information, please contact:
Thein Oo
Chairman of Burma Lawyers’ Council
E-mail: utoo@ksc.th.com