"MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF THE MECHANISM Over the past year, there has been a dramatic increase in violence in Myanmar. A military airstrike in Sagaing in April 2023 made global headlines but, unfortunately, this is just one of numerous attacks against the civilian population that the Mechanism is investigating. We have collected credible evidence of an array of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed across the country, including murder, rape, torture, unlawful imprisonment and deportation or forcible transfer. We are collecting this evidence while it is fresh, analysing it and preparing case files that can be shared with judicial authorities to hold perpetrators of these crimes responsible so that they will face justice While we gather and analyse evidence of serious international crimes committed since the military launched a coup on 1 February 2021, we remain focused on investigating earlier crimes and are sharing evidence, information and analytical reports with those working on ongoing cases concerning the Rohingya at the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice and in Argentina. Our work would not be possible without the cooperation of brave individuals and groups who share information and evidence with us, often at substantial risk to their own safety. Civil society organisations, in particular, provide the Mechanism with crucial information and connect us to witnesses and victims. The Mechanism hosted its first Civil Society Dialogue last month, and it was a privilege for my team and me to hear from those working on the frontline of efforts to gather evidence of serious international crimes and to support those most affected Our aim was to increase mutual understanding, and the participants left this meeting with a much firmer grasp of how the Mechanism works, and what it can and cannot do. My team and I also strengthened our understanding of the challenges that civil society groups face, and we are looking at ways we might adapt our work accordingly. Most of all, we heard their fears for their security, their trauma from all that they have experienced, and their frustration at not seeing justice served. As we explained to the Dialogue participants, the Mechanism is focusing all its efforts to ensure that there will be justice for these heinous crimes. We are collecting, preserving and analyzing evidence now so that it will be available for use by judicial authorities in the future. Serious international crimes have no statute of limitations – this means that there is no time limit for perpetrators to be prosecuted, and we are working to ensure that those responsible for these crimes will one day be held accountable..."