5 European nations and Canada search to affix genocide case in opposition to Myanmar at high UN courtroom

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — 5 European international locations and Canada are in search of to affix a case introduced by Gambia on the United Nations’ highest courtroom that accuses Myanmar of committing genocide in opposition to 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.

Below the courtroom’s guidelines, the declarations imply these international locations will have the ability to make authorized arguments within the case introduced in 2019 following worldwide outrage on the therapy of the Rohingya, a Muslim minority. Tons of of hundreds 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 courtroom to declare Myanmar in breach of the conference.

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

Myanmar’s navy 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 hundreds of Rohingya properties.

Myanmar tried unsuccessfully to have the case thrown out, arguing the world courtroom can solely hear disputes between nations and Gambia was appearing 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 international locations earlier than the case was filed.

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