Myanmar rejects International Criminal Court's decison, calls it 'dubious legal merit'

Myanmar today rejected a ruling by the International Criminal Court(ICC) which empowered the tribunal to probe alleged crimes against the Rohingyas as possible crime against humanity.

Also Read: Have jurisdiction to probe Rohingya exodus, says International Criminal Court

"Myanmar resolutely rejects the (ICC) decision which is... of dubious legal merit," the government said in a statement released by the president's office, adding it was "under no obligation" to respect the court ruling.

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Myanmar is not a member of the Hague-based court and the Rome Statute. The ICC's "pre-trial chamber... decided by majority the court may exercise jurisdiction over the alleged deportations of the Rohingya people from Myanmar to Bangladesh," the Hague-based tribunal said in a statement.

"The decision was the result of manifest bad faith, procedural irregularities and general lack of transparency," the statement said, adding the country "resolutely rejects" the court ruling.

According to the United Nations, over 700,000 Rohingyas have fled Myanmar and entered Bangladesh since August 25th last year allegedly due to atrocities committed by the Myanmar Army. A UN mission had said last week that Myanmar's military carried out mass killings and gang rapes of Rohingya with "genocidal intent".

The government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has been criticised for failing to speak out against the military crackdown in Rakhine. UN chief Antonio Guterres had said last week that he called for accountability for the "horrendous persecution" of the minority community in the country. Guterres said condictions were still not suitable for the "safe, voluntary and sustainable return" of over 700,000 Rohingya refugees to their homes in Myanmar.

Guterres added that, despite the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by the Myanmar authorities and UN agencies in June, the country's leaders have not made the investment in reconstruction, reconciliation and respect for human rights.

Both the UN and US have at various times said the Myanmar government has carried out "ethnic cleansing" against the Rohingyas.