Kofi Annan, Chair of the Advisory Commission, said the report proposes a series of measures to address the situation in Rakhine State and these recommendations include a renewed call for unimpeded access for humanitarian workers and journalists to the affected areas in Northern Rakhine, as well as for an independent and impartial investigation into allegations of crimes committed on and since October 9, 2016.

“We strongly believe that perpetrators of these crimes must be held to account” he said.

The commission recommended that the government should – based on independent and impartial investigation – ensure that perpetrators of serious human rights violations are held accountable for their crimes.

The 15-page interim report and recommendations listed, among others, humanitarian and media access, justice and rule of law, border issues and bilateral relationships with Bangladesh, socioeconomic development, training of security forces, citizenship and freedom of movement, closure of IDP camps, cultural issues, inter-communal dialogue, representation and participation in public life and regional relations, as some ways to ease tensions in conflict areas.

‘’We recognise that the challenges facing Rakhine State and its peoples are complex and the search for lasting solutions will require determination, perseverance and trust. Nevertheless, there are steps that can be taken immediately, which we put forward in this report’’ said Kofi Annan in the statement.

“The recommendations in this report are not exhaustive and do not address all of the issues covered in our mandate,” he added.

The report has also recommended citizenship verification in Rakhine state, saying that the Myanmar government should immediately establish a clear strategy and timeline for the citizenship verification process. This strategy should be transparent, efficient, and with a solid basis in existing legislation.

‘’The Rakhine and Muslim communities should work constructively with the government to revitalise the citizenship verification process,” said the commission in its recommendation.

Annan said the Commission was aware of a number of unresolved concerns surrounding the verification of citizenship and recommended that they be clarified and resolved without delay.

The State Counsellor’s Office issued a statement yesterday stating that the government welcomed the interim report of Annan’s
Advisory Commission.

The statement said the government concurs with the recommendations set forth in the report, and believed that these will have a positive impact on the process of the nation’s reconciliation and development.

“The large majority of the recommendations will be implemented promptly with a view to maximum effectiveness. The implementation of a few will be contingent upon the situation on the ground but we believe there will be speedy progress,” said the statement.

Ghassan Salame, a member of the Advisory Commission, led the commission’s press conference yesterday in Yangon in Annan’s absence.

He said this interim report addresses issues where urgent action is required, adding that implementation of the interim recommendations will inform and inspire the content of the final report. The main final report body of recommendations will be presented before the end of August 2017.

“We believe that if the Myanmar government takes urgent action to improve based on these recommendations, there will be a resolution to the situation,” he said.

He added that the interim report and recommendations have already been submitted to all related administrative bodies, including the State Counsellor’s Office as well as military and police officials.

Kofi Annan has been leading the Advisory Commission of Rakhine State which was established in August last year by the State Counsellor. The government had given a mandate to the Commission to propose recommendations for improving the welfare of all people in Rakhine state.

The commission is composed of six local and three international experts.