INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
minority, paving the way for evidence of atrocities to be heard.The international court of justice rejected all preliminary objections
raised by Myanmar, which is now ruled by a military junta, at a hearing on Friday.The case, which was filed by the Gambia, centres on brutal
military crackdowns in 2016 and 2017 that forced more than 700,000 Rohingya to flee over the border to neighbouring Bangladesh.It accuses
jurisdiction, claiming the Gambia could not bring the case because it was not directly affected by the events, and because a legal dispute
did not exist between the two countries before the case was filed
only rules on disputes between states.Such arguments were each rejected by the court
they cannot commit atrocities with impunity
The case proceeding is all the more important in light of the February 2021 coup, which was enabled and emboldened by the impunity the
campaign of violence to crush dissent
The UN rights office warned in March that the junta was carrying out widespread and systematic abuses against civilians that may amount to
war crimes and crimes against humanity.Tun Khin, president of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK, said objections filed by Myanmar were an
attempt to slow proceedings, and that oppression of Rohingya continues
Laws and policies designed to make life unbearable and drive Rohingya out of Myanmar are part of the genocide and continue despite
Rohingya from genocide as the case, which will take years, proceeds.Tun Khin called on the UK to join the Gambia and back the case
The national unity government, formed by elected lawmakers, ethnic minority representatives and activists, had argued it should represent
Myanmar in court, and that it would withdraw preliminary objections.
This article first appeared/also appeared in theguardian.com
