The United Nations International Court of Justice has handed down an opinion and order imposing provisional measures on Myanmar to protect the
Rohingya in Myanmar's Rakhine state from continuing acts of genocide. The court's opinion in
The Gambia v. Myanmar, (ICJ, Jan. 23, 2020), deals at length with jurisdictional issues, standing and the availability of provisional relief pending a final decision in the case. Finding that a plausible claim has been stated and that there is a real and imminent risk of irreparable prejudice if interim relief is not granted, the Court ordered:
The Republic of the Union of Myanmar shall, in accordance with its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, in relation to the members of the Rohingya group in its territory, take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of all acts within the scope of Article II of this Convention, in particular:
(a) killing members of the group;
(b) causing serious bodily or mental harm to the members of the group;
(c) deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; and
(d) imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
...The Republic of the Union of Myanmar shall, in relation to the members of the Rohingya group in its territory, ensure that its military, as well as any irregular armed units which may be directed or supported by it and any organizations and persons which may be subject to its control, direction or influence, do not commit any acts described in point (1) above, or of conspiracy to commit genocide, of direct and public incitement to commit genocide, of attempt to commit genocide, or of complicity in genocide....
The Republic of the Union of Myanmar shall take effective measures to prevent the destruction and ensure the preservation of evidence related to allegations of acts within the scope of Article II of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide....
The Court also issued a
press release summarizing the decision.
CNN has extensive background on the case.
