A/HRC/42/CRP.3 fundraising ceremony on 20 October 2017,273 at which the State Counsellor spoke about improving the border fence.274 The media subsequently reported that Zaw Zaw accompanied the State Counsellor on a visit to northern Rakhine on 2 November 2017. 275 2. Business donations to the Tatmadaw for the “clearance operations” following fundraising ceremonies 115. In the month following the “clearance operations” in northern Rakhine State that began on 25 August 2017, the Commander-in-Chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, and other high-ranking Tatmadaw leaders held three ceremonies in Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon and Sittwe to solicit donations in support of the Tatmadaw’s military and other activities in northern Rakhine against the Rohingya. This is yet another example of the Tatmadaw’s ability to acquire financial resources in support of its activities but without civilian oversight. 116. During these meetings, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing made statements describing the conduct of the Tatmadaw in northern Rakhine, outlined the policy and military objectives of the “clearance operations”, denied the existence of the Rohingya and advanced justifications for the Tatmadaw’s acts. He framed his request for donations in the false hateful narrative of the Tatmadaw having a responsibility to protect the country from the invading Rohingya people while refusing to acknowledge their identity, referring the Rohingya in a derogatory manner as “Bengali”. He said: “The Bengali problem was a long-standing one which has become an unfinished job.”276 Senior General Min Aung Hlaing’s official website provided lengthy descriptions of the content of these ceremonies, who attended and what donations attendees provided. 117. Tatmadaw leaders solicited donations for the construction of the border fence between Myanmar and Bangladesh; security and other personnel; and ethnic Rakhine victims of the violence.277 Donations were collected during the ceremonies by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and other Tatmadaw leaders, including the Deputy Commander-in-Chief Soe Win, and the commanders-in-chief of the Air Force and Navy. In total, based on information reported on the official website of the Commander-in-Chief, the Mission has identified 45 businesses and organizations from which the Tatmadaw leadership solicited and received financial support for its “clearance operations” against the Rohingya that began in August 2017 in northern Rakhine. The three ceremonies yielded over USD 6.15 million for the Tatmadaw.278 Many of the donors had family or other forms of close links to the Tatmadaw. The donors included Tatmadaw and other government officials, the families of high-ranking Tatmadaw leaders, private businesses, the foundations of large conglomerates, MEHL, MEC, as well as their subsidiaries and joint venture partners. It is particularly noteworthy that among the foreign businesses partnering with MEHL or MEC, Kirin Holdings Pte Ltd. provided financial support to the Tatmadaw during the first of these fundraising ceremonies.279 The Mission notes that following a public condemnation from Amnesty 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 Ayeyarwady Foundation, “Ayeyarwady Foundation donated for Rakhine State” (http://www.ayeyarwadyfoundation.org/en_US/ayeyarwady-foundation-donated-for-rakhine-state/) The Republic of the Union of Myanmar, “Voices from Donation Ceremony for UEHRD,” State Counsellor Office 21 October 2017 (https://www.statecounsellor.gov.mm/en/node/1185) Min Aung Khine, “DASSK visits Northern Rakhine in Unprecedented Trip,” The Irrawaddy, 2 November 2017 (https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/dassk-visits-northern-rakhineunprecedented-trip.html) Official website of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, “Entire government institutions and people must defend the country with strong patriotism,” 2 September 2017 (https://www.seniorgeneralminaunghlaing.com.mm/en/345/entire-governmentinstitutions-and-people-must-defend-the-country-with-strong-patriotism/). Official website of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, “Lack of country-loving spirits may lead to disunity and all citizens should have country-loving spirits, patriotic spirits and Myanmar spirits,” 11 September 2017 (https://www.seniorgeneralminaunghlaing.com.mm/en/486/lack-of-country-loving-spirits-may-leadto-disunity-and-all-citizens-should-have-country-loving-spirits-patriotic-spirits-and-myanmarspirits/). See Annex IV. List of donors and details of donations solicited by the Tatmadaw in September 2017. See Annex IV. List of donors and details of donations solicited by the Tatmadaw in September 2017. 41