A/HRC/39/CRP.2 information and support. It regrets that a number of United Nations entities did not provide similar support. 24. The Mission further regrets that it was not able to visit Myanmar and undertake incountry fact-finding. The Mission was nevertheless able to gather the information necessary to establish facts and draw conclusions in accordance with its mandate. As is apparent from the preceding paragraphs, the Mission accessed a large volume and wide variety of sources, mostly outside but also inside the country. Importantly, it had access to victims and eyewitnesses who left Myanmar throughout the period under review, including very recently. Moreover, considering the severe risk of intimidation and reprisals against individuals who engage with independent human rights bodies (see below) and the restrictions imposed on other international actors operating inside Myanmar, the Mission is convinced that access to the country would not necessarily have generated more reliable or valid information. The Mission is confident that it spoke with victims and witnesses in a safe environment, where they could speak freely and without fear of reprisals. 25. The Mission expresses its deep gratitude for the invaluable support it received from a number of non-governmental organizations and all the persons who agreed to be interviewed. Their dedication to the betterment of the human rights situation in Myanmar is truly admirable. 3. Protection of victims and witnesses 26. The Mission paid specific attention to the protection of victims and witnesses. Its initial protection assessment indicated that persons who speak out about the human rights situation in the country and who engage with United Nations mechanisms have been subject to reprisals. The Mission was therefore extremely cautious in all interactions with victims and witnesses, making constant assessments of the need to establish contact with persons who may be placed at risk as a result. The Mission established strict security protocols to guide these interactions and to ensure that they were conducted through means to mitigate the risks. Contacts were not pursued if the Mission could not ensure the safety of the cooperating person, if the risk of harm was assessed to be too high, or if the Mission did not have sufficient information to make an informed determination on the level of risk. In line with this policy, the Mission has not pursued multiple leads. 27. The most significant challenge for the Mission therefore arose from the fear of reprisals. For the Myanmar population, this fear is well founded. The Mission received information and verified incidents of reprisals against persons who have interacted with international actors. Numerous potential witnesses were afraid to speak with the Mission, even on a confidential basis, because they feared for the repercussions on themselves or family members. The Mission did not pressure anyone to speak with it. 28. Many international actors operating in Myanmar, including aid workers, journalists, diplomats and other foreign visitors to Myanmar, were also unwilling to share knowledge and information with the Mission from fear that this would negatively affect their access if it became known to the Myanmar authorities that they had cooperated with the Mission. 29. The Mission is gravely concerned at the intimidation and threats faced by Myanmar nationals cooperating with Human Rights Council mechanisms mandated to examine the situation in Myanmar. It urges Myanmar to guarantee the protection of victims and witnesses, and everybody who engages with the Mission and with other international human rights mechanisms, and to undertake that no one shall suffer harassment, threats, intimidation, illtreatment, arrest or other forms of reprisal because of such contact. 4. Storage of information 30. A secure, confidential electronic database was created to enable the Mission to securely record and store information. It contains the summary records of all interviews and meetings conducted as well as electronic copies of relevant materials collected. As a fully searchable tool, the database facilitated the organization and retrieval of information for analysis and report writing. 10