Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an official statement asserting that the case filed by Gambia at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) alleging genocide against the Rohingya minority is flawed and without basis, both factually and legally.
The International Court of Justice, located in The Hague, Netherlands, began a three-week hearing process last Monday to review evidence concerning the major military crackdown in Rakhine State in 2017, which forced over 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh amidst reports of mass killings, arson, and severe sexual violence.
The statement, published in a state-run newspaper, said that Myanmar's government, currently under military rule since the 2021 coup, is cooperating sincerely with the court to show respect for international law but requests that the court consider the case strictly based on facts and the legal texts under the Genocide Convention.
Furthermore, Myanmar stated that the released reports are "biased and rely on unreliable evidence." The statement avoided using the term "Rohingya," instead referring to "individuals from Rakhine State," and emphasized that the military operation was a legitimate effort to eliminate rebel groups that attacked security forces resulting in fatalities.
Meanwhile, Gambia's Minister of Justice, Dawda Jallow, told the court on the first day that the Rohingya were targeted for destruction, while Myanmar's legal team is scheduled to present its rebuttal on Friday.
Currently, approximately 1.17 million Rohingya refugees remain crowded in camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Although the ICJ lacks direct enforcement mechanisms, a ruling finding Myanmar guilty would exert significant international political pressure. The decision process could take several months or even years.
/sourceAFP