Five Burmese yesterday asked the Philippines to investigate alleged war crimes committed by 10 serving or former members of Myanmar’s military against the mainly Christian Chin minority.
Filipino lawyers representing the Burmese told reporters that they lodged the “landmark” criminal complaint against junta chief Min Aung Hlaing and nine others at the Philippine Department of Justice in Manila.
They asked prosecutors to open an investigation into alleged war crimes under a Philippine law penalizing “crimes against international humanitarian law, genocide and other crimes against humanity.”
Photo: AFP
The five Burmese are from western Chin state, but now live in Australia, Britain, Canada and India. They were at the justice department in Manila.
“This is a landmark suit because this is the very first time that such a case is being brought before the Philippines,” said Romel Bagares, one of the lawyers.
The justice department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from reporters.
Among the accused is Chin Chief Minister Vung Suan Thang, who is a former military officer. The others are serving members of the military. The complaint alleged that members of Myanmar’s military killed a pastor and two church elders in Thantlang town in September 2021.
It also accused the 10 of “intentionally” directing attacks on churches and the burning of hundreds of houses in the same town between August 2021 and June last year.
They also allegedly blocked relief supplies reaching people in Chin state in the aftermath of Cyclone Mocha in May.
Gilbert Andres, another Filipino lawyer representing the Burmese, said that they filed the case in the Philippines because it would be easier to get testimony from witnesses in Myanmar, and Philippine law allowed for the prosecution of war crimes.
If the justice department were to mount a case against the 10 accused, it could issue subpoenas to Myanmar’s Central Authority or go through diplomatic channels, Andres said.
The complaint said that the military could not claim immunity from prosecution “as they do not represent the legitimate government of the people of Myanmar under international law.”
The toppling of Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government in a 2021 coup sparked a huge backlash and the military junta is now battling opponents across swaths of the country.
Some of the bloodiest fighting has been happening in Christian-majority areas, including in Chin state.
“This is a truly historic day,” Salai Ling, one of the five complainants and also of the Chin Human Rights Organization, told reporters in Manila. “We are really hoping that with the solidarity and support from the Filipino people and people in the ASEAN region, that we will be able to get some form of justice for the atrocities that our people suffered.”
Myanmar and the Philippines are ASEAN members.
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