ICJ hearings on Myanmar Rohingya genocide to start Feb 21

The International Court of Justice, the principal judicial organ of the UN, has arranged a series of public hearings on allegations of genocide perpetrated against the Rohingya people in Myanmar from Feb 21.

The hearings will focus on the Myanmar junta’s challenge to the genocide case brought by Gambia to the court, according to The Hague.

Due to the pandemic, some members of the court will attend the hearing in person, while others will attend by video link. A live webcast of the event will be available to the media and the public on the court’s website and UN Web TV.

The first hearing, where Myanmar will present its first round of oral arguments, is set for Feb 21. Gambia will put forward its arguments on Feb 23. Myanmar will present its second round of arguments on Feb 25, followed by Gambia on Feb 28.

In 2017, a military-led crackdown in Myanmar led to more than 730,000 Rohingya fleeing across the border to Bangladesh. They have been living in cramped refugee camps in Bangladesh since. The Bangladesh government has repeatedly called for international support to repatriate the Rohingya to Myanmar.

UN investigators said the military campaign was executed with ‘genocidal intent’.

Attorney General of Gambia Dawda Jallow, who initiated the case, had previously said the hearings were to commence Feb 21.

In December 2019, Aung San Suu Kyi, then civilian leader of Myanmar, attended hearings on the genocide allegations at The Hague and petitioned for the court to dismiss them.

She was deposed in a coup in 2021 and has been sentenced to six years in prison and faces a number of other charges.

The current military government, which has been seeking international recognition, will now take over proceedings for Myanmar.