{"id":152278,"date":"2020-01-27T12:00:51","date_gmt":"2020-01-27T12:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=152278"},"modified":"2020-02-03T11:21:16","modified_gmt":"2020-02-03T11:21:16","slug":"top-un-court-orders-myanmar-to-protect-rohingya-from-genocide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2020\/01\/top-un-court-orders-myanmar-to-protect-rohingya-from-genocide\/","title":{"rendered":"Top UN Court Orders Myanmar to Protect Rohingya from Genocide"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>23 Jan 2020 – <\/em>Myanmar must take\u00a0steps\u00a0to\u00a0protect\u00a0its\u00a0minority Rohingya population, the top UN court\u00a0unanimously\u00a0ruled<\/a>\u00a0on today.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The\u00a0International\u00a0 Court of Justice\u00a0 (ICJ<\/a>)\u00a0also\u00a0ordered\u00a0authorities to prevent the destruction of evidence related to genocide allegations.<\/p>\n

The case against Myanmar was brought to the ICJ<\/a> in November by The Gambia, on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), arguing that the mainly-Muslim Rohingya had been subjected to genocide.<\/p>\n

The Rohingya\u00a0primarily\u00a0reside\u00a0in Rakhine state\u00a0in northern Myanmar, a majority Buddhist country.<\/p>\n

More than\u00a0700,000\u00a0members\u00a0fled to\u00a0neighbouring\u00a0Bangladesh following a reported military crackdown in August 2017 during which numerous alleged human rights abuses were committed.<\/p>\n

According to news reports, around\u00a0600,000 Rohingya remain inside the country, and remain extremely vulnerable to attacks and persecution, said the court.<\/p>\n

In its ruling, the ICJ imposed \u201cprovisional measures\u201d against Myanmar, ordering the country to comply with obligations under\u00a0the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Myanmar is urged to \u201ctake all measures within its power\u201d to prevent the killing of Rohingya, or causing bodily or mental harm to members of the group, including by the\u00a0military\u00a0or \u201cany irregular armed units\u201d.<\/p>\n

The country\u00a0also\u00a0has\u00a0to\u00a0submit a report to the ICJ\u00a0within four months, with additional reports\u00a0due\u00a0every six months \u201cuntil a final decision on the case is rendered by the Court.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Judges at the International Court of Justice in The Hague consider the case against Myanmar.
ICJ-CIJ\/Wendy van Bree<\/p><\/div>\n

Aung San Suu Kyi\u00a0Testimony\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Last December, Myanmar\u2019s de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, testified\u00a0at the start of\u00a0court proceedings on behalf of her country<\/a> and\u00a0described the case as\u00a0\u201can incomplete and misleading factual picture\u201d\u00a0of events in Rakhine\u00a0state.<\/p>\n

She told the court military leaders\u00a0would be put on\u00a0trial if found guilty,\u00a0stressing that \u201cif war crimes have been committed, they will be prosecuted within our own military justice system.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thursday\u2019s ruling amounts to a rejection of those arguments, and the ICJ\u2019s orders\u00a0are binding on Myanmar, despite being provisional.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0court\u2019s orders are subject to assessment by the UN Security Council., although a final judgement in the case is expected to take years, according to news reports.<\/p>\n

\n

READ HERE: summary of the #ICJ<\/a> Order on the request for the indication of provisional measures made by The Gambia in the case of Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (#TheGambia<\/a> v. #Myanmar<\/a>) https:\/\/t.co\/RFGVUN5hOx<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/FvfRRzrkte<\/a><\/p>\n

— CIJ_ICJ (@CIJ_ICJ) January 23, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n