5 European nations and Canada search to affix genocide case towards Myanmar at prime UN court docket

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — 5 European nations and Canada are looking for to affix a case introduced by Gambia on the United Nations’ highest court docket that accuses Myanmar of committing genocide towards its Rohingya minority.

The Worldwide Court docket of Justice mentioned Thursday that Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK had joined with Canada in submitting a “declaration of intervention within the case.” The Maldives filed a separate declaration.

Underneath the court docket’s guidelines, the declarations imply these nations will be capable of make authorized arguments within the case introduced in 2019 following worldwide outrage on the remedy of the Rohingya, a Muslim minority. Lots of of 1000’s fled to neighboring Bangladesh amid a brutal crackdown by Myanmar forces.

Gambia argued that it and Myanmar are each events to the 1948 conference outlawing genocide and that each one signatories have an obligation to make sure it’s enforced. It requested the court docket to declare Myanmar in breach of the conference.

The court docket has already dominated it has jurisdiction, although hearings within the case haven’t been scheduled.

Myanmar’s army launched what it referred to as a clearance marketing campaign in Rakhine state in 2017 within the aftermath of an assault by a Rohingya rebel group. Greater than 700,000 Rohingya fled into neighboring Bangladesh. Myanmar safety forces have been accused of mass rapes, killings and torching 1000’s of Rohingya houses.

Myanmar tried unsuccessfully to have the case thrown out, arguing the world court docket can solely hear disputes between nations and Gambia was performing on behalf of the Group of Islamic Cooperation.

The judges additionally dismissed Myanmar’s declare that Gambia couldn’t file the case because it was circuitously linked to the occasions in Myanmar and {that a} authorized dispute didn’t exist between the 2 nations earlier than the case was filed.

The Worldwide Court docket of Justice guidelines on disputes between states. It isn’t linked to the Worldwide Prison Court docket, additionally primarily based in The Hague, which holds people accountable for atrocities. Prosecutors on the ICC are investigating crimes dedicated towards the Rohingya.