"Message from the Head of the Mechanism In September, I presented the Mechanism’s annual report to the Human Rights Council. The report was transmitted to the General Assembly later that month. My statement to the Council described the progress that the Mechanism has made over the past year in fulfilling our ongoing mandate to collect and analyse evidence regarding the most serious international crimes and violations of international law committed in Myanmar since 2011. Tragically, serious crimes and violations of international law continue to be committed in Myanmar. The nation’s long history of impunity continues to impact the lives of its people. Men, women and children from diverse regions and ethnic groups are suffering. Four years since the military’s 2017 clearance operations in Rakhine state, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya continue to live in temporary shelters in Bangladesh, their lives on hold and many hoping to return to homes which have been burned and bulldozed. Since the military seizure of power in February this year, thousands more people have fled their homes in various regions, devastating the economy of Myanmar and straining the resources of neighbouring states. More than ever, there is a need to end impunity and break this cycle of violence. The Mechanism continues to closely monitor events in Myanmar since the coup. We have received reports and collected information on the use of unjustified force against peaceful protestors, arbitrary arrests, torture, enforced disappearances and killings. Our initial analysis of the available information indicates that crimes committed in the aftermath of the coup are both widespread and systematic in nature. Under international law, crimes such as killings and arbitrary detentions committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack on a civilian population are crimes against humanity and thus fall within our mandate. We are working to verify and analyse the available evidence concerning these events, and to identify individuals who bear criminal responsibility for these crimes. Going forward, we expect that the progressive relaxation of travel restrictions will enable the resumption of essential activities that were suspended during the pandemic. This includes the in-person collection and verification of information and evidence, as well as high-level missions to facilitate the negotiation of cooperation arrangements and advance the Mechanism’s outreach efforts. The resumption of in-person dialogue with key Member States will be a critical priority for the Mechanism during the upcoming period. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to all those who have helped with the Mechanism’s efforts to collect and verify evidence, including victim and survivor groups, civil society organizations, businesses and many brave individuals. We will continue to do all we can to collect evidence of the most serious international crimes so that one day, there will be justice for victims from Myanmar and all will know that impunity for such crimes will no longer be tolerated..."