International Court of Justice to hear Myanmar Rohingya genocide case

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is set to begin its first full genocide case in over a decade, with The Gambia filing a complaint against Myanmar. The hearings are scheduled to start on Monday at 09:00 GMT and will last for three weeks.

Myanmar’s military launched an offensive in 2017 that resulted in the forced displacement of approximately 750,000 Rohingya people from their homes into neighboring Bangladesh. According to a UN fact-finding mission, the 2017 offensive included “genocidal acts”. However, authorities in Myanmar have rejected these findings, claiming the military action was a legitimate counterterrorism campaign.

The ICJ case is expected to set critical precedents for how genocide is defined and proven, as well as how violations can be remedied. Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are hopeful that the case will bring justice and peace. Many expressed their desire for accountability from the perpetrators and an end to impunity in Myanmar.

The hearings will mark the first time that Rohingya victims of alleged atrocities will be heard by an international court. The ICJ has no power to enforce its judgments, but a finding of responsibility under the Genocide Convention would be a significant step in holding a state accountable for genocide.

Myanmar’s opposition National Unity Government (NUG) has accepted and welcomed the jurisdiction of the ICJ, withdrawing all preliminary objections previously submitted on the case. The NUG acknowledged the government’s failures, which it said enabled grave atrocities to take place against the Rohingya people.

Source: Al Jazeera