“Save the Children welcomes the decision that the International Criminal Court (ICC) may investigate allegations Rohingya people were forced from Myanmar to Bangladesh,” Save the Children CEO, Bill Chambers said.
“Save the Children strongly believes that the international community should also continue with the establishment of an interim mechanism to gather evidence of breaches of international law and mass atrocities while preparations are made for any International Criminal Court trials.
“Save the Children welcomes Canada’s ongoing efforts to push for justice for the Rohingya, and encourages the Government of Canada to continue to pursue these efforts over the coming weeks and months, including through support to efforts to establish an independent mechanism to gather evidence of crimes committed such as those in relation to children. As part of this effort, Save the Children urges Canada to provide dedicated support to efforts to ensure legal and judicial experts with specific expertise in interviewing child victims and witnesses of crimes, working to build cases that can be used by future prosecutorial and judicial mechanisms.
“Recognizing the extreme vulnerability of child survivors of these atrocities, Save the Children additionally highlights the need for Canada to ensure dedicated support to these children, including through collaboration with experts in mental health and pyscho-social support, and child protection. Such support is critical to prevent re-victimization of child victims and witnesses in the process of gathering evidence required as part of efforts in seeking justice and reparations for survivors.
“Save the Children’s team in Bangladesh has been supporting child survivors and their families in Bangladesh since the start of the crisis. They have heard testimonies of the atrocities committed in Myanmar, including harrowing reports of murder, torture and systematic rape. The perpetrators of these crimes must be held to account and the ICC decision may be a step towards ensuring justice for the Rohingya.”
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