Rohingya survivors expect UN top court to rule Myanmar committed genocide
Judges at the court, also known as the World Court, are expected to take several months to deliver a ruling, with judgments typically issued within six to nine months of hearings concluding
Highlights:
- Myanmar has denied genocide allegations
- Judgments on average take six-to-nine months
- Case would likely have bearings on South Africa's case against Israel
Rohingya survivors of Myanmar's 2017 military crackdown said on Friday they expect the United Nations' highest court to rule that Myanmar committed genocide against them, following the conclusion of hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Judges at the court, also known as the World Court, are expected to take several months to deliver a ruling, with judgments typically issued within six to nine months of hearings concluding.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The case, brought by Gambia, is being closely watched beyond Myanmar and could have implications for other genocide cases before the court, including South Africa's case against Israel over the war in Gaza.
In final submissions this week, lawyers for Gambia argued that Myanmar's conduct during the 2017 military campaign showed clear intent to destroy the Rohingya as a group, leaving genocide as the only reasonable conclusion.
Myanmar has rejected the allegations, saying its military operations in Rakhine State were a legitimate response to attacks by insurgents. It has denied any intent to commit genocide and disputed findings by international investigators.
At least 730,000 Rohingya fled to neighbouring Bangladesh during the campaign. A United Nations fact-finding mission later concluded that Myanmar's actions included "genocidal acts," citing killings, mass rape and widespread arson.
Myanmar's legal team told the court that the U.N. investigation was biased and failed to meet the high legal threshold required to prove genocide.
Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of survivors of mass atrocities, Rohingya refugee Yousuf Ali, 52, said he believed the court would rule in their favour.
"The world has witnessed our suffering for so many years — how we were deported, how our homes were destroyed and how we were killed," he said.
Gambia's Justice Minister Dawda Jallow urged the court to dismiss Myanmar's arguments, saying a ruling finding genocide would help end what he called Myanmar's "cycle of atrocities and impunity."
