An Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Ad-Hoc Inter-Ministerial Committee on Accountability for Human Rights Violations against the Rohingya was established in May 2018, at the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
An ad-hoc inter-ministerial committee established by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to address the deplorable human rights situations of the Rohingya Muslims will meet in Banjul on February 10, Sunday, said a press release from Ministry of Justice.
The formation of the Committee was proposed by Gambia in May 2018 at the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
According to Gambia’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubacarr Tambadou, the task of the ministerial committee would be to collaborate with other international actors including the UN, International Criminal Court and NGOs to sustain international political pressure for accountability efforts.
The Committee will also act as OIC focal point and assist in information gathering and evidence collection for accountability purposes, Tambadou said.
Some 700,000 Rohingyas fled a brutal military crackdown in Rakhine beginning of late August 2018. They joined some 400,000 other Rohingyas, who fled earlier waves of persecution in Myanmar where they are denied citisenship and other basic rights.
Myanmar claims the crackdown was in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents, but the UN termed it ethnic cleansing with hallmarks of genocide.
Doctors without Borders said some 6,700 Rohingyas were killed in the first month of the offensive alone.
The UN Security Council has yet to take any concrete action against Myanmar.
The Committee is expected to mobilise and coordinate international political support for accountability for the international crimes against the Rohingyas.
The meeting happens at Labranda Coral Beach Resort and Spa (formerly Sheraton) on Sunday.