• About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Write for us
  • Contact
  • Terms of service
Saturday, June 25, 2022
The Millennial Source
TMS
Home WORLD

Violence in Myanmar days after ICJ ruling to protect Rohingya

byZachary Frye
January 26, 2020
in WORLD
Source: NYTimes

Source: NYTimes

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linkedin



At least two people were killed and seven others injured after troops in Myanmar opened fire on civilians in a Rohingya village in Buthidaung, Rakhine State. Among the victims were two women, one of whom was pregnant. 

Rakhine State, situated in the far southwest of the country, has been at the center of a bloody campaign waged by the Myanmar military against the area’s Rohingya population.

Although the army insists it is only trying to fight extremists, international observers insist that the ongoing violence against Rohingya civilians constitutes grave human rights abuses. The United Nations (UN) has characterized the violence as “a textbook case of ethnic cleansing.” 

After a military crackdown in 2017, some 730,000 Rohingya fled across the border to Bangladesh where they now live in poor conditions in refugee camps.

Following the exodus, a UN-backed independent panel stated that “the evidence that infers genocidal intent on the part of the State [Myanmar]…has strengthened.”

ICJ ruling 

On Thursday, January 23rd, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Hague decided unanimously that the Myanmar government must take action to protect the Rohingya minority. 

Specifically, the ICJ said that the country must “take all measures within its power” to prevent genocidal actions against the Rohingya who face “real and imminent risk.”

While advocates of justice for the Rohingya applauded the ruling as a step in the right direction, Myanmar denies that it ever intended to uproot the minority group from its soil. 

Myanmar’s de-facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, spoke at the ICJ hearing. Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her role in championing Myanmar’s fight for democracy, insisted that the Myanmar army was fighting insurgents bent on forming an independent state.

She also said Myanmar is committed to improving the lives for all communities in Rakhine. 

“Mr. President, how can there be an ongoing genocide or genocidal intent when these concrete steps are being taken in Rakhine?” she asked. 

If any war crimes were committed, they should be prosecuted within Myanmar’s justice system, not internationally, she argued in an op-ed earlier this month.  

Looking forward

In November 2019, The Gambia, a nation in West Africa, brought charges of genocide to the ICJ against Myanmar for its actions against the Rohingya. 

The Gambia argues that Myanmar has violated the 1948 Genocide Convention, a UN treaty meant to give an international legal framework to charges of genocide, of which Myanmar is a signatory. 

As part of the ICJ’s ruling, Myanmar is obliged to provide an update on the situation to the court within four months, and every six months thereafter until a final ruling is determined on the case.

Although a final decision on the question of genocide in Myanmar has not yet been made, the ICJ’s provisional measures are legally biding. 

[article_ad]

Related

Tags: AsiaShort read
ShareTweetShare

Latest Posts

Forever 21 China

Forever 21 gives China another go with a new store opening this month

June 16, 2022
Chinese stocks

Following better-than-expected economic data, China stocks rally

June 16, 2022
Shangri-La Dialogue

Some key takeaways from the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore

June 13, 2022

Australia says a Chinese military jet created a “dangerous maneuver” at the South China Sea

June 7, 2022

Apple is moving more production to Vietnam to beat supply chain woes

June 3, 2022

Indian and Chinese stock markets could quadruple by 2050, says Abrdn CEO

June 1, 2022

China proposes economic and security agreement to 10 Pacific nations

May 27, 2022

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong warns against excluding China from regional summits

May 27, 2022

Cathay Pacific seeks to rehire ex-staff as part of airline’s “anticipated recovery”

May 27, 2022

SUBSCRIBE TO THE TMS NEWSLETTER

By providing your email, you agree to our Privacy Policy

The Millennial Source Ltd. 2021

No Result
View All Result
  • Your daily briefing
  • About us
  • Explore
    • Startups
    • Climate change
    • Tech giants
    • Crypto
    • The future of work
    • Banking giants
    • Economy
  • Lifestyle
  • Human stories
  • TMS archives
  • Write for us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy & Terms

2022 The Millennial Source Ltd.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

string(24) "jsonld single post debug"
The Millennial Source
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.