ADVISORY COMMISSION ON RAKHINE STATE 1. MANDATE AND CONTEXT OF THE COMMISSION (a) The mandate, structure and composition of the Rakhine Advisory Commission The Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, chaired by Mr Kofi Annan, was established on 5 September 2016 at the behest of Myanmar’s State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. According to the Commission’s Terms of Reference – agreed by the Government of Myanmar and the Kofi Annan Foundation – the Commission will analyse the present situation of all communities in Rakhine State, and seek to identify the factors that have resulted in violence, displacement and underdevelopment. In doing so, the Commission will consider humanitarian issues, living conditions, access to health, education and livelihoods, the question of citizenship and freedom of movement, and the assurance of basic rights. In accordance with established international standards, the Commission was mandated to develop recommendations within five thematic areas: conflict prevention, humanitarian assistance, reconciliation, institution building and development. The Commission is composed of six national members (U Win Mra, U Aye Lwin, Dr Tha Hla Shwe, Dr Mya Thida, Daw Saw Khin Tint and U Khin Maung Lay) and three international members (Mr Ghassan Salamé, Ms Laetitia van den Assum and Mr Kofi Annan). Although the Commission includes three international commissioners, the Commission is essentially a national mechanism: It was established by the Government of Myanmar, and reports to the national authorities in Naypyitaw. (b) Nomenclature In line with the request of the State Counsellor, the Commission uses neither the term “Bengali” nor “Rohingya”, who are referred to as “Muslims” or “the Muslim community in Rakhine”. This does not include the Kaman Muslims, who will simply be referred to as “Kaman”. 12 Towards a Peaceful, Fair and Prosperous Future for the People of Rakhine