Media Advisory

6th March 2017

Peoples Tribunal on Myanmar State Crimes to be announced.

6th-7th March 2017
Host: School of Law, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, E1 4NS

LONDON: On the 6th and 7th March, representatives of Rohingya and Kachin victim
groups will present first-hand, live and recorded, testimonies about crimes
committed by the Myanmar state against their groups to the Rome-based
Permanent Peoples Tribunal. They will bring forth the charges that the
Myanmar government is committing crimes, such as war crimes, crimes against
humanity and genocide.

Additionally, expert witnesses from around the world, including Professor Penny
Green (Queen Mary University of London), Dr Mandy Sadan (School of Oriental
and African Studies, University of London), Azril Mohamed Amin (Centre for
Human Rights Research and Advocacy, Malaysia), will testify on specific crimes
and/or the historical context of grave violations under international law.

Video-recorded testimonies of Rohingya rape victims, who recently fled to

Bangladesh, will also be presented to the Panel of Jury.

The Dalai Lama has issued a formal statement, which will be released during the
Press Conference of the Opening Sessions, on Tuesday 7th March. The Tibetan
Buddhist leader disclosed that he has privately communicated to Nobel Laureate
ad Burmese leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi about his concerns regarding the
persecution of the Rohingya.

Among the initial Panel of Jury, are Prof Daniel Feierstein, renowned genocide
scholar and former President of the International Association of Genocide
Scholars (IAGS), Dr Helen Jarvis, former Public Affairs Officer at the Khmer Rouge
Tribunal, and Denis Halliday, UN Assistant Secretary-General (1994-98) and
winner of Gandhi International Peace Award 2003.

The inaugural session in London will be hosted at, and webcast live from, the
International State Crime Initiative of Queen Mary University of London, on 6th
March (1000 GMT to 1800 GMT) and 7th March (0900 GMT 1200 GMT). The
opening session will end with a press conference at 1200 GMT. An announcement
about the full and final session to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will be made
at the end of Tuesdays proceedings.
Notes to Editors:
The tribunal sessions which are open to public, can be viewed live
at http://tribunalonmyanmar.org/ and followed on twitter @MyanmarTribunal,
#MyanmarTribunal

The Peoples Tribunal on Myanmar has been endorsed by over 20 Rohingya,

Kachin and Burmese organizations worldwide, International State Crime
Initiative of Queen Mary University of London, S. Africas Protect the Rohingya
Campaign, Genocide Watch, Burma Task Force USA, Malaysian human rights
networks such as the International Movement for a Just World and Centre for
Human Rights Research and Advocacy (Centhra), and individual genocide
prevention campaigners including Youk Chhang of Cambodia.

The Tribunal is a peoples initiative, made possible by the generous support of the
International State Crime Initiative, Queen Mary University of London, individual
activists: Mark Sampson, Ko Aung, the Rohingya community in London, and
Burma Task Force (USA), and Women collective for people's rights, Lecco, Italy.

NB All sessions to be held in Room 313 Laws Building, Mile

End Campus E1 4NS
All 1.5 day sessions to be webcast LIVE by Oxford Digital Media:
https://www.oxforddigitalmedia.com/media-gallery/

Webcast can be viewed on the official Tribunal website at:

http://tribunalonmyanmar.org/

Tribunal proceedings may be followed on twitter @MyanmarTribunal

#MyanmarTribunal : Contact email: info@TribunalOnMyanmar.org

Contacts:
Dr Gianni Tognoni, Permanent Peoples Tribunal, Rome, Italy at +39
(0) 3471824914

Dr Thomas McManus, International State Crimes Initiative, Queen Mary U. of

London +44 (0) 795 806 99 27

Ms Kai Htang Lashi, (Kachin National Organization) at +44 (0)79 20 82 66 94

Tun Khin, Burmese Rohingya Organization UK at +44 (0) 78 88 71 48 66

Dr Malik Mujahid, Burma Task Force (Justice For All), Chicago, USA at
312-750-1178

Azril Mohd Amin, Centre for Human Rights Research and Advocacy (Centhra),
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at +60123037110

Dr Maung Zarni (UK) at +44 (0)77 10 47 33 22

 PROGRAMME
Monday, 6th March Location 313 Laws Building QMUL, Queen Mary
University of London

10.00 START

10.00 - 10.10
Announcement of days programme by members of Steering Committee and
Organising Committee (represented by Dr Maung Zarni)

10.10 - 10.45
Presentation by the PPT Secretariat stating procedures and methodology (Dr
Gianni Tognoni)

10.45 - 11.10
Rohingya and Kachin present their respective accusations against the Myanmar
state

Speakers:
Ronnie, Arakan Rohingya National Organization
Mr Ringdu Lachung, President, Kachin National Organization (UK)

11.10 12.15
Kachin Victim Statement & Expert Statements
Speakers:
Dr Mandy Sadan, Associate Dean of Research (Art and Humanities),
School of Oriental and African Studies & author Being and Becoming
Kachin: Histories beyond the State in the Borderworlds of Burma (OUP,
2013)
Mr Ringdu Lachung, President, Kachin National Organization (UK)
Kachin video clips presentation (Kachin Baptist leader)

12.15 12:30 - Coffee break

12.30 13.30
Rohingya victim statements on 1978 King Dragon Operation against Rohingya
(to be followed by Q & A)

Speakers:
Tun Khin to present recorded testimonies of Rohingya rape victims, and
victims of recent attacks (plus video testimonies)
U Ba Sein (Rohingya Blogger, originally from Maung Daw, N. Rakhine
State),
Daw Khin Hla (Rohingya blogger, originally from Maung Daw, N. Rakhine
State)

13.30 - 14.30 - LUNCH

14.30 16.30
Expert Testimonies I on the Rohingya

Speakers:
Azril Amin and 5 Malaysian Lawyers representing Rohingya victims in
Malaysia
Professor Michael Charney (SOAS) on the ethnic identities and claim to
indigeneity in Rakhine or Arakan (11 minutes)
Dr Maung Zarni to discuss the military-controlled state and its role in the
persecution of Rohingya, Kachin and other groups (10 minutes)

16.30 - 18.00
Expert Testimonies II on the Rohingya
Key findings from OCHRs flash Report, based on mission to Bangladesh
(official video clip from UN press conference, 3rd February 2017, Geneva)
Ro Nay San Lwin, Rohingya researcher and blogger (via video link), to
discuss incidents and patterns of attacks on Rohingya civilians since 9th
October 2016

18.00 END

Tuesday, 7th March - Room 313, School of Law, QMUL

09.00 START

09.00 09.45
Prosecution Team summary and formal indictment
Speakers:
Penny Green and Thomas MacManus (International State Crime
Initiative), Rosal Azmin Bin Ahmad (Centre for Human Rights Research
and Advocacy, Malaysia)

10:00 10:30
Closing remarks/comments/proposals from members of Jury & PPT

10.30 11.30
Press Conference
Announcing Full and Final Session and jury deliberations KL, Malaysia
2017
PPT Preliminary indictment and summary of first tribunal session
Recorded/Written Statements
Written Statement from the Dalai Lama (3 minutes)
Amartya Sens recorded elaboration on the slow genocide of Rohingya
(5 minutes)

Line-up for press conference speakers:

Lord Nazir Ahmed, PPT Jury Member (TBC)
PPT Representative
 BROUK/Arakan Rohingya National Organization Representative
KNO Representative Ms Kai Htang Lashi

Formal Closing Remarks by Representative from the ISCI Host

12.30 - Lunch

Directions:
ISCI is based in the School of Law at Queen Mary University of London:
School of Law
Queen Mary University of London
Mile End Road
London E1 4NS

The nearest tube stop is Mile End. When you come out of Mile End cross over the
road straight away, then turn left. Carry on walking for 5 minutes or so, crossing
over another road. QMUL will be on your right, through the blue gates.

For Room 313 (Law School): After turning right through the blue gates, take the
first left, walk down the narrow path to the Law School which will be on your left.
Room 313, where we will hold several of the meetings, is on the 3rd floor.
Please contact Louise Wise if you have any difficulties: l.wise@qmul.ac.uk;
07900073348 or 0207 882 6411