Photo: Courtesy
The Centre for Peace and Justice, BRAC University (CPJ), organised a public lecture by Mr. Nicholas Koumjian, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at BRAC University.
IIMM was established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2018 with the mandate to impartially and independently collect, preserve and analyse evidence of the most serious international crimes committed in Myanmar since 2011. These crimes include genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The title of the lecture was “Crimes Against Humanity in Myanmar: Challenges and Way Forward for IIMM.” Mr. Koumjian expressed gratitude to the Bangladesh Government for its assistance in collecting extensive and authentic evidence and sharing with the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice. He particularly mentioned that IIMM’s work is not restricted to one race or ethnicity but extends beyond the crimes committed against the Rohingya. He also referred to the use of universal jurisdiction by Argentina and how its application can be crucial for holding perpetrators accountable.
His Excellency Dr. Khalilur Rahman, the High Representative to the Chief Adviser on the Rohingya Crisis and Priority Issues Affairs, graced the event with his presence as a speaker. Dr. Rahman emphasised on the role the international community can play in finding a durable solution to the Rohingya crisis. Furthermore, he expressed his willingness to work together with IIMM along with the others on this issue. He also talked about an upcoming international conference, which can play an important role in bringing global attention back to the Rohingya crisis.
The event was chaired by Dr. David Dowland, the Registrar of BRAC University. Opening remarks were delivered by Shahariar Sadat, Deputy Executive Director of CPJ. The event concluded with a note of thanks by Manzoor Hasan OBE, Executive Director of CPJ.
The lecture was attended by representatives from the government, international donor organisations, INGOs, NGOs, academics, lawyers, undergraduate and postgraduate students from various universities.
Messenger/JRTarek
