ICJ rejects Myanmar objection to trial of genocide case over treatment of Rohingya

New Delhi: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday set aside Myanmar’s objection to the trial of genocide case involving Rohingyas of the country. Now the case filed by Gambia will be heard by the ICJ in full. Myanmar had raised objections to the jurisdiction of the ICJ as well as Gambia for the trial of the case.

Rejecting Myanmar’s argument the ICJ said that all members of the 1948 Genocide Convention can and are obliged to act to prevent genocide, and the court has jurisdiction in the case. The Gambia as the party to the Genocide convention has standing, said the ICJ.

Gambia has alleged that the Myanmar army indulged in genocide of the Rohingya community in what it called a ‘clearance operation’. A separate fact-finding committee of the UN concluded that the 2017 military campaign forced more than 7.3 lakh Rohingyas to flee Myanmar to neighbouring Bangladesh, reports Reuters.

The ICJ in its provisional judgment in 2020 had ordered Myanmar to protect the Rohingya from genocide which was considered a legal victory establishing the rights of Rohingya as a protected minority.