International Court of Justice set to resume hearings on Myanmar genocide case — Radio Free Asia

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is holding hearings this week to figure out whether it has jurisdiction to evaluate if atrocities committed by the Myanmar armed force against Rohingya Muslims made up a genocide.
The West African nation of Gambia filed a case at the ICJ in November 2019 implicating Myanmar of breaching the 1948 Genocide Convention throughout the alleged expulsion of numerous thousands of Rohingya from Rakhine state to surrounding Bangladesh in the middle of a ruthless crackdown in 2017.
Throughout the hearings on Feb. 21-28, which consist of both virtual and in-person participants, agents of Myanmar and Gambia will present arguments as to whether the ICJ has jurisdiction to take a look at the claims. The ICJ is the judicial arm of the United Nations.
The case is separate from an examination by the International Criminal Court (ICC) as to whether 2 waves of violence in Rakhine that caused the required deportation of more than 740,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh represented a criminal activity versus mankind. The ICC can prosecute individuals, while the ICJ works as an arbiter in disputes among nations.
Myanmars military seized power from the democratically elected federal government in a Feb. 1, 2021, coup that introduced a period of violence. Security forces have actually eliminated more than 1,560 individuals across the country.
Myanmars National Unity Government (NUG), a government in exile formed by elected leaders, previously contradicted the authority of the ICJ to choose if the 2016-17 scorched-earth project made up genocide against Rohingya Muslims.
The NUG just recently altered its stance and advised The Hague court not to recognize the judgment military junta as the nations representative.
Rohingya living in refugee camps in southeastern Bangladesh stated they are enthusiastic that the ICJ can bring justice for the Myanmar militarys rights violations versus the ethnic minority group.
Mohammad Nur, former general secretary of the Kutupalong Camp-2 East refugee camp in Coxs Bazar, noted that the former government led by Aung San Suu Kyi supported the militarys action in Rakhine, today has reversed course.
” So, this altered scenario gives us hope,” he informed BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.
The Rohingya refugees are ineligible to end up being residents in Myanmar under existing policy. Last June the NUG said that it plans to amend the countrys constitution to provide citizenship to Rohingya, 300,000 of who still live in Rakhine state.
Because the refugee camps where they now live are squalid and overcrowded and offer limited instructional and work opportunities, Nur stated they want to return to their house nation.
” If the court choice comes out in our favor, the military government will come under international pressure and, hopefully, accept offer us citizenship,” he stated..
Jafar Alam, a Rohingya physician at the Kutupalong camp, informed BenarNews that the NUGs reversed position supporting the ICJs jurisdiction over the genocide case will bode well for the refugees.
” We, all the Rohingya people, have been waiting eagerly to hear a choice in favor of us,” he stated. “If the ICJ decision comes out in our favor, then there will be no issue for us to return to Myanmar.”.
Throughout a videoconference on the ICJ hearing hosted by Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Feb. 17, Wai Nu, a Rohingya activist and director of the Womens Peace Network, stated that the case “opens the door for accountability and justice for Rohingyas and lots of other neighborhoods” in Myanmar.
” Its assisted [individuals] to understand the enormity of the criminal offenses versus the ethnic communities and the people of Myanmar,” she said.
” It also raises the debate of justice and responsibility domestically, not just globally, which is extremely essential for our country, Myanmar, since the concerns of justice and responsibility have actually always been under-discussed or dismissed,” she stated.
Phil Robertson, HRWs deputy Asia director, stated his group is attempting to get more nations to support the ICJ case.
” Hopefully, were getting closer and closer to our goal of breaking the cycle of impunity that the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] has sustained throughout the course of modern Myanmar, causing untold suffering against the Burmese people.”.
Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service and Kamran Reza Chowdhury for BenarNews. Composed in English by Roseanne Gerin.
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