Myanmar Atrocities: UN Mechanism Identifies Perpetrators, Faces Funding Crisis

The UN Human Rights Mechanism investigating crimes in Myanmar is making progress in identifying those responsible for escalating atrocities, including commanders overseeing attacks on civilians, despite facing a severe funding shortfall. A new report details intensified investigations into attacks on critical infrastructure and ongoing probes into crimes against the Rohingya and in Rakhine state.

Identifying Commanders and Escalating Brutality

The UN Mechanism, established to collect evidence of serious international crimes committed in Myanmar, is focusing on identifying the individuals responsible for the increasing violence.

“We have made headway in identifying the perpetrators,including the commanders who oversee these facilities and we stand ready to support any jurisdictions willing and able to prosecute these crimes,” said Nicholas Koumjian,Head of the Mechanism.

The latest annual report, covering the period from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, is based on over 1,300 sources, including nearly 600 eyewitness testimonies, photographs, videos, documents, maps, and forensic evidence. It highlights a “continued increase in the frequency and brutality of atrocities committed in Myanmar.”

Investigations are intensifying into aerial attacks targeting schools, homes, and hospitals. This includes incidents immediatly following the March 2025 earthquake, when rescue operations were hampered by further strikes. Investigators are analyzing the composition and chain of command within the Myanmar Air Force to pinpoint those responsible.

new investigations have been launched into atrocities occurring in Rakhine state,where fighting between the military and the Arakan Army is ongoing. These investigations run alongside continued investigations into the crimes committed against the Rohingya population in 2016 and 2017.

Supporting International Justice Efforts

Evidence gathered by the Mechanism is already contributing to legal proceedings in multiple international courts. This includes support for the International Criminal Court (ICC), the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and national courts like those in Argentina.

The Mechanism’s evidence directly informed the ICC Prosecutor’s November 2024 request for an arrest warrant for Min Aung Hlaing, myanmar’s military chief. it also contributed to the Argentine Federal Court’s February 2025 issuance of warrants against Min Aung Hlaing and 24 other individuals.

“Our report highlights a continued increase in the frequency and brutality of atrocities committed in Myanmar,” Koumjian emphasized. “We are working towards the day when the perpetrators will have to answer for their actions in a court of law.”

The Rohingya Crisis and Rakhine State Violence

The report acknowledges the ongoing consequences of the 2017 military operations against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Rakhine state. These campaigns, previously described by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights as “a textbook example of ethnic cleansing,” forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh, where the majority remain in refugee camps.

The current conflict in Rakhine state, involving the military and the Arakan Army, is also under examination, adding to the complexity of the human rights situation in the region.

Funding Crisis Threatens Investigations

Despite progress, the UN Mechanism faces a important challenge: a severe funding crisis. The UN’s liquidity issues have reduced the Mechanism’s 2025 budget to 73% of the approved amount. Further cuts of 20% to regular budget-funded staff are anticipated in 2026.

To mitigate these challenges, the investigation team has adopted a three-year Strategic Plan. This plan focuses on strengthening operational resilience, enhancing capacity, and addressing operational hurdles such as limited access to witnesses within Myanmar, security risks, and cybersecurity threats. The Mechanism continues to seek international support to ensure its vital work can continue.