Malaysia’s Rights Commission calls for regional accountability on Myanmar crisis

Mizzima

On 17 October, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) issued a statement following a forum held on October 16, 2025. The forum was co-hosted by Progressive Voice and the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma (ALTSEAN-Burma) and was titled “Strengthening Regional Accountability: ASEAN’s Failure on Women, Youth, Peace, and Security in Myanmar.”

The statement is as follows:

SUHAKAM stands in firm solidarity with the people of Myanmar, particularly women and youth who continue to face compounded risks and systematic violence since the illegal attempted coup in 2021. The forum amplified the voices of human rights defenders who shared first-hand testimonies of the dire situation on the ground, including the widespread use of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) and other grave human rights violations.

SUHAKAM Chairman Dato’ Seri Mohd Hishamudin Yunus, officiated the forum and drew attention to the severe scale of the humanitarian and human rights catastrophe in Myanmar.

Current data indicates that the crisis has displaced more than 3.5 million people internally and resulted in over 6,000 civilian deaths since 2021. The discussions underscored the urgent need to end decades-long impunity for atrocities committed by the military, which disproportionately target women, girls, and youth from ethnic and religious minorities through systematic violence, including CRSV.