Three&nbsp;blasts took place in the normally quiet town of Manaung on an island off Myanmar's western coast where Suu Kyi was due to arrive to attend the opening of&nbsp;a solar power plant.

"There were three explosions, but no casualties," Win Myint, spokesperson for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/amnesty-accuses-myanmar-military-of-fresh-war-crimes-in-rakhine-222432">Rakhine</a>'s regional government, told AFP.

He said it happened before <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/why-aung-san-suu-kyi-is-in-the-hague-defending-myanmar-against-allegations-of-genocide-267828">Suu Kyi</a> arrived, but since they were on the other side of town the event went ahead as planned and she had since left safely on a flight to Yangon.

WATCH: Violence in Rakhine state centuries-old, says Aung San Suu Kyi

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"This has never happened in Manaung before."

No group has yet claimed responsibility for planting the small bombs, which detonated at the side of a road, photos from local media showed. &nbsp;

The area has remained largely unscathed by unrest further north, where Myanmar's military is locked in an increasingly vicious conflict with the Arakan Army (AA).

The rebel group claims to be fighting for more autonomy and rights for the ethnic <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/the-lady-and-the-hague-myanmar-leader-suu-kyi-courts-home-audience-266663">Rakhine Buddhists</a> and garners sympathy from many local people who have long felt marginalised in the Bamar-majority country.

But tens of thousands have fled their homes over the past year and dozens of civilians have been caught in the crossfire.

There have been allegations of abuse against both sides.

Rights groups say Myanmar's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/myanmar-seizes-boat-carrying-173-rohingya-muslims-military-spokesman-268720">military</a> has abducted civilians and tortured detainees, but the army points to targeted shootings, roadside bombings and kidnappings by insurgents.&nbsp;

One <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/indian-worker-dies-in-myanmar-rebel-operation-259872">Indian</a> construction worker died while being held hostage and an MP from Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) has now been held for over six weeks.

A number of hostages seized by the rebels in a raid on a ferry packed with scores of police and soldiers were killed in October, with each side blaming the other.

Rakhine state's north was also the epicentre of a bloody military crackdown two years ago that forced some 740,000 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-are-ready-to-go-back-rohingya-refugees-meet-with-myanmar-delegates-269053">Rohingya</a> Muslims to flee over the border into Bangladesh.

Thursday's visit was only the third time Suu Kyi had travelled to Rakhine since the Rohingya crisis erupted in 2017.

Three blasts took place in the normally quiet town of Manaung on an island off Myanmar's western coast where Suu Kyi was due to arrive to attend the opening of a solar power plant.

Three blasts took place in the normally quiet town of Manaung on an island off Myanmar's western coast where Suu Kyi was due to arrive to attend the opening of a solar power plant. "There were three explosions, but no casualties," Win Myint, spokesperson for Rakhine's regional government, told AFP. He said it happened before Suu Kyi arrived, but since they were on the other side of town the event went ahead as planned and she had since left safely on a flight to Yangon. WATCH: Violence in Rakhine state centuries-old, says Aung San Suu Kyi × "This has never happened in Manaung before." No group has yet claimed responsibility for planting the small bombs, which detonated at the side of a road, photos from local media showed. The area has remained largely unscathed by unrest further north, where Myanmar's military is locked in an increasingly vicious conflict with the Arakan Army (AA). The rebel group claims to be fighting for more autonomy and rights for the ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and garners sympathy from many local people who have long felt marginalised in the Bamar-majority country. But tens of thousands have fled their homes over the past year and dozens of civilians have been caught in the crossfire. There have been allegations of abuse against both sides. Rights groups say Myanmar's military has abducted civilians and tortured detainees, but the army points to targeted shootings, roadside bombings and kidnappings by insurgents. One Indian construction worker died while being held hostage and an MP from Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) has now been held for over six weeks. A number of hostages seized by the rebels in a raid on a ferry packed with scores of police and soldiers were killed in October, with each side blaming the other. Rakhine state's north was also the epicentre of a bloody military crackdown two years ago that forced some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee over the border into Bangladesh. Thursday's visit was only the third time Suu Kyi had travelled to Rakhine since the Rohingya crisis erupted in 2017.

Small blasts hit Rakhine town as Myanmar's Suu Kyi visits

The Myanmar navy seized the vessel carrying the group, including 22 children, in Tanintharyi Division’s Kawthaung township on Sunday, said military spokesman Tun Tun Nyi.

“Our navy found them on a suspicious boat in the sea,” he told Reuters by phone. “The police will proceed according to the law.”

More than 730,000 Rohingya <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/the-rohingya-refugee-crisis-in-key-dates-245472">fled</a> Myanmar to Bangladesh in 2017 to escape a military-led crackdown that U.N investigators have said was carried out with “genocidal intent” and included mass killings and rapes.

Some<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/two-years-on-rohingyas-still-without-rights-status-or-justice-244567"> 600,000 remain</a>&nbsp;in largely Buddhist Myanmar, confined to camps and villages in the western Rakhine state where they are unable to travel freely or access healthcare and education.

For years, Rohingya on both sides of the border have boarded&nbsp;boats&nbsp;organized by smugglers in the&nbsp;dry&nbsp;months between November and March, when the sea is calm. The dangerous journey to Thailand and Malaysia, often undertaken in overcrowded, rickety vessels, has cost many lives.

The exodus peaked in 2015 when an estimated 25,000 people crossed the Andaman Sea, many drowning in unsafe and overloaded boats. But smuggling has continued.

Myat Thu, assistant director of Kawthaung township’s administrative office, said it was not yet clear whether the group arrested on Sunday set sail from Myanmar or Bangladesh.

“Now we keep them at an island in Kawthaung in the sea, with security guards,” he told Reuters by phone. “We are making sure that all of their human rights are protected.”

Bangladesh coast guard official Saiful Islam told Reuters they were unaware of any boats leaving the camps for Myanmar.

“If we had such information, we would have stopped them,” he said by phone.

More than 90 Rohingya including 23 children found on a beach in the Irrawaddy delta region after boarding a boat from Rakhine appeared in a Myanmar court on Dec. 11 to face charges&nbsp;of travelling illegally.

Hundreds have been <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/95-rohingya-in-myanmar-face-jail-as-un-hears-genocide-case-267699">imprisoned</a> in jails and youth detention centres across the country.

“It shouldn’t be that way,” Muslim leader Wunna Shwe, joint-secretary of the Islamic Religious Affairs Council in Myanmar, told Reuters.

“The government must examine their citizenship and grant citizenship to those who are eligible. It will be difficult to solve this issue without recognizing the rights of the people in the existing camps.”

The Myanmar navy seized the vessel carrying the group, including 22 children, in Tanintharyi Division’s Kawthaung township on Sunday, said military spokesman Tun Tun Nyi.

The Myanmar navy seized the vessel carrying the group, including 22 children, in Tanintharyi Division’s Kawthaung township on Sunday, said military spokesman Tun Tun Nyi. “Our navy found them on a suspicious boat in the sea,” he told Reuters by phone. “The police will proceed according to the law.” More than 730,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar to Bangladesh in 2017 to escape a military-led crackdown that U.N investigators have said was carried out with “genocidal intent” and included mass killings and rapes. Some 600,000 remain in largely Buddhist Myanmar, confined to camps and villages in the western Rakhine state where they are unable to travel freely or access healthcare and education. For years, Rohingya on both sides of the border have boarded boats organized by smugglers in the dry months between November and March, when the sea is calm. The dangerous journey to Thailand and Malaysia, often undertaken in overcrowded, rickety vessels, has cost many lives. The exodus peaked in 2015 when an estimated 25,000 people crossed the Andaman Sea, many drowning in unsafe and overloaded boats. But smuggling has continued. Myat Thu, assistant director of Kawthaung township’s administrative office, said it was not yet clear whether the group arrested on Sunday set sail from Myanmar or Bangladesh. “Now we keep them at an island in Kawthaung in the sea, with security guards,” he told Reuters by phone. “We are making sure that all of their human rights are protected.” Bangladesh coast guard official Saiful Islam told Reuters they were unaware of any boats leaving the camps for Myanmar. “If we had such information, we would have stopped them,” he said by phone. More than 90 Rohingya including 23 children found on a beach in the Irrawaddy delta region after boarding a boat from Rakhine appeared in a Myanmar court on Dec. 11 to face charges of travelling illegally. Hundreds have been imprisoned in jails and youth detention centres across the country. “It shouldn’t be that way,” Muslim leader Wunna Shwe, joint-secretary of the Islamic Religious Affairs Council in Myanmar, told Reuters. “The government must examine their citizenship and grant citizenship to those who are eligible. It will be difficult to solve this issue without recognizing the rights of the people in the existing camps.”

Myanmar seizes boat carrying 173 Rohingya Muslims: Military

#WION #SouthAsiaDiary Wion brings you its brand-new show South Asia Diary with Mariam Wardak. We look at the following stories. Bangladesh Fences Rohingya Camps. Appeasement Politics In Sri Lanka Imran using media to take on dissent?

WION: South Asia Diary with Mariam Wardak | Dec 16, 2019

Nobel peace laureate <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/suu-kyi-criticised-for-silence-over-myanmar-genocide-claims-267964">Aung San Suu Kyi </a>urged UN judges on Thursday to throw out a genocide case against Myanmar, warning it risked reigniting the crisis that forced nearly three quarters of a million Rohingya Muslims from their homes.

In her closing arguments after a three-day hearing at the International Court of Justice, Myanmar's de facto civilian leader issued a stark warning to judges that allowing The Gambia's case against Myanmar to go ahead could "undermine reconciliation".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/why-aung-san-suu-kyi-is-in-the-hague-defending-myanmar-against-allegations-of-genocide-267828">Suu Kyi</a>, whose defence of the same generals she once defied has shredded her reputation abroad as a rights icon, even showed pictures of a football match recently played in the area affected by the violence in 2017 as evidence that was peace was returning

"I pray that the decision you make with the wisdom and vision of justice will help us to create unity out of diversity," said Suu Kyi, who wore traditional Burmese dress and flowers in her hair.

"Steps that generate suspicions, sow doubts or create resentments between communities who have just begin to build the fragile foundation of trust could undermine reconciliation," she added in the short six-minute statement.

"Ending the ongoing internal conflict... is of the utmost importance for our country. But it is equally important to avoid any reignition of the 2016-17 internal armed conflict in northern Rakhine."

Dozens of her supporters gathered outside the court in The Hague and nosily chanted "We stand with you Aung San Suu Kyi" as she arrived to give her speech.

'Silence said far more than words'&nbsp;

The small African, mainly Muslim state of Gambia has taken majority-Muslim Myanmar to the UN's top court in The Hague accusing it of breaching the 1948 UN genocide convention.

Backed by the 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Conference, Canada and the Netherlands, it is seeking emergency measures to prevent further violence against the Rohingya, pending a fuller case that could take years.

Around 740,000 Rohingya fled across the border into sprawling refugee camps in Bangladesh after Myanmar launched a huge military crackdown in Rakhine state in August 2017.

Suu Kyi told the court in her opening statement on Wednesday that there was no proof of "genocidal intent" and said the army operation was in response to attacks by Rohingya militants.

The Gambia earlier Thursday condemned Suu Kyi's "silence" in her opening speech about the alleged abuses.

"Madame agent, your silence said far more than your words," The Gambia's lawyer Philippe Sands told the court.&nbsp;

"The word 'rape' did not once pass the lips of the agent," Sands added, as Suu Kyi sat impassively in the courtroom.

'Imminent risk of genocide'&nbsp;

Paul Reichler, another of The Gambia's lawyers, dismissed Suu Kyi's insistence that Myanmar's military should be left to probe the allegations itself.

"How could anyone expect the Tatmadaw (Myanmar military) to investigate when six of its top generals... have all been accused of genocide by the UN fact-finding mission?" he asked.

He said that those killed included "infants beaten to death or torn from their mothers' arms and thrown into rivers to drown. How many of them were terrorists?

"Armed conflict can never be an excuse for genocide," he said.

The lawyer said Suu Kyi had also failed to deny the conclusions of a 2018 UN investigation that found that genocide had been committed in Myanmar against the Rohingya.

"What is most striking is what Myanmar has not denied," Reichler said.

Reichler added that Suu Kyi in her speech to the court had also followed Myanmar's "racist" policy of refusing to refer to the Rohingya Muslim minority by their name.

Gambian Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou pushed the court to impose the emergency measures, saying there was a "serious and imminent risk of genocide recurring" and that "the lives of these human beings are at risk."

A decision on the emergency measures sought by Gambia could take months, while a final ruling if the ICJ decides to take on the full case could take years. 
&nbsp;

Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi urged UN judges on Thursday to throw out a genocide case against Myanmar, warning it risked reigniting the crisis that forced nearly three quarters of a million Rohingya Muslims from their homes.

Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi urged UN judges on Thursday to throw out a genocide case against Myanmar, warning it risked reigniting the crisis that forced nearly three quarters of a million Rohingya Muslims from their homes. In her closing arguments after a three-day hearing at the International Court of Justice, Myanmar's de facto civilian leader issued a stark warning to judges that allowing The Gambia's case against Myanmar to go ahead could "undermine reconciliation". Suu Kyi, whose defence of the same generals she once defied has shredded her reputation abroad as a rights icon, even showed pictures of a football match recently played in the area affected by the violence in 2017 as evidence that was peace was returning "I pray that the decision you make with the wisdom and vision of justice will help us to create unity out of diversity," said Suu Kyi, who wore traditional Burmese dress and flowers in her hair. "Steps that generate suspicions, sow doubts or create resentments between communities who have just begin to build the fragile foundation of trust could undermine reconciliation," she added in the short six-minute statement. "Ending the ongoing internal conflict... is of the utmost importance for our country. But it is equally important to avoid any reignition of the 2016-17 internal armed conflict in northern Rakhine." Dozens of her supporters gathered outside the court in The Hague and nosily chanted "We stand with you Aung San Suu Kyi" as she arrived to give her speech. 'Silence said far more than words' The small African, mainly Muslim state of Gambia has taken majority-Muslim Myanmar to the UN's top court in The Hague accusing it of breaching the 1948 UN genocide convention. Backed by the 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Conference, Canada and the Netherlands, it is seeking emergency measures to prevent further violence against the Rohingya, pending a fuller case that could take years. Around 740,000 Rohingya fled across the border into sprawling refugee camps in Bangladesh after Myanmar launched a huge military crackdown in Rakhine state in August 2017. Suu Kyi told the court in her opening statement on Wednesday that there was no proof of "genocidal intent" and said the army operation was in response to attacks by Rohingya militants. The Gambia earlier Thursday condemned Suu Kyi's "silence" in her opening speech about the alleged abuses. "Madame agent, your silence said far more than your words," The Gambia's lawyer Philippe Sands told the court. "The word 'rape' did not once pass the lips of the agent," Sands added, as Suu Kyi sat impassively in the courtroom. 'Imminent risk of genocide' Paul Reichler, another of The Gambia's lawyers, dismissed Suu Kyi's insistence that Myanmar's military should be left to probe the allegations itself. "How could anyone expect the Tatmadaw (Myanmar military) to investigate when six of its top generals... have all been accused of genocide by the UN fact-finding mission?" he asked. He said that those killed included "infants beaten to death or torn from their mothers' arms and thrown into rivers to drown. How many of them were terrorists? "Armed conflict can never be an excuse for genocide," he said. The lawyer said Suu Kyi had also failed to deny the conclusions of a 2018 UN investigation that found that genocide had been committed in Myanmar against the Rohingya. "What is most striking is what Myanmar has not denied," Reichler said. Reichler added that Suu Kyi in her speech to the court had also followed Myanmar's "racist" policy of refusing to refer to the Rohingya Muslim minority by their name. Gambian Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou pushed the court to impose the emergency measures, saying there was a "serious and imminent risk of genocide recurring" and that "the lives of these human beings are at risk." A decision on the emergency measures sought by Gambia could take months, while a final ruling if the ICJ decides to take on the full case could take years.

Myanmar: Aung San Suu Kyi warns genocide case could reignite Rohingya crisis

The Gambia condemned Aung San Suu Kyi's "silence" over the plight of Rohingya Muslims on Thursday after the Nobel Peace Prize laureate defended Myanmar against genocide charges at the UN's top court.

Lawyers for the mostly Muslim African country said her arguments that Myanmar's 2017 military crackdown was a "clearance operation" targeting militants ignored widespread allegations of mass murder, rape and forced deportation.

"Madame agent, your silence said far more than your words," The Gambia's lawyer Philippe Sands told the International Court of Justice (ICJ), referring to Suu Kyi, who is officially acting as Myanmar's agent in the case.

"The word 'rape' did not once pass the lips of the agent," Sands added, as Suu Kyi sat impassively in the courtroom, wearing traditional Burmese dress and flowers in her hair.

The Gambia has taken majority-Buddhist Myanmar to the court in The Hague, accusing it of breaching the 1948 UN Genocide convention and seeking emergency measures to protect the Rohingya.

Once regarded as an international rights icon for standing up to Myanmar's brutal junta, Suu Kyi has seen her reputation tarnished by her decision to side with the military over the Rohingya crisis.

She used a dramatic appearance at the ICJ on Wednesday to say there was no "genocidal intent" behind the operation that led to some 740,000 Rohingya fleeing into neighbouring Bangladesh.

Suu Kyi defended Myanmar's actions saying it faced an "internal conflict" and that the military conducted "clearance operations" after an attack by Rohingya militants in August 2017.

'Imminent risk of genocide'

But Paul Reichler, another of The Gambia's lawyers, said that those killed included "infants beaten to death or torn from their mothers' arms and thrown into rivers to drown. How many of them were terrorists?

"Armed conflict can never be an excuse for genocide," he said.

The lawyer said Suu Kyi had also failed to deny the conclusions of a 2018 UN investigation that found that genocide had been committed in Myanmar against the Rohingya.

"What is most striking is what Myanmar has not denied," Reichler said.

He also dismissed Suu Kyi's insistence that Myanmar's military should be left to probe the allegations itself, saying it was not credible when its own top generals have themselves been accused of genocide.

"How could anyone expect the Tatmadaw (Myanmar military) to investigate when six of its top generals, including Min Aung Hlaing, have all been accused of genocide by the UN fact-finding mission?" he asked.

The US on Tuesday slapped fresh sanctions including a travel ban on military chief Min Aung Hlaing over the Rohingya crisis.

The lawyer added that Suu Kyi in her speech to the court had also followed Myanmar's "racist" policy of refusing to refer to the Rohingya Muslim minority by their name.

Gambian Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou pushed the court to impose the emergency measures, saying there was a "serious and imminent risk of genocide recurring" and that "the lives of these human beings are at risk."

Suu Kyi was expected to make closing remarks later Thursday.

A decision on the measures could take months, while a final ruling if the ICJ decides to take on the full case could take years.

The Gambia condemned Aung San Suu Kyi's "silence" over the plight of Rohingya Muslims on Thursday after the Nobel Peace Prize laureate defended Myanmar against genocide charges at the UN's top court.

The Gambia condemned Aung San Suu Kyi's "silence" over the plight of Rohingya Muslims on Thursday after the Nobel Peace Prize laureate defended Myanmar against genocide charges at the UN's top court. Lawyers for the mostly Muslim African country said her arguments that Myanmar's 2017 military crackdown was a "clearance operation" targeting militants ignored widespread allegations of mass murder, rape and forced deportation. "Madame agent, your silence said far more than your words," The Gambia's lawyer Philippe Sands told the International Court of Justice (ICJ), referring to Suu Kyi, who is officially acting as Myanmar's agent in the case. "The word 'rape' did not once pass the lips of the agent," Sands added, as Suu Kyi sat impassively in the courtroom, wearing traditional Burmese dress and flowers in her hair. The Gambia has taken majority-Buddhist Myanmar to the court in The Hague, accusing it of breaching the 1948 UN Genocide convention and seeking emergency measures to protect the Rohingya. Once regarded as an international rights icon for standing up to Myanmar's brutal junta, Suu Kyi has seen her reputation tarnished by her decision to side with the military over the Rohingya crisis. She used a dramatic appearance at the ICJ on Wednesday to say there was no "genocidal intent" behind the operation that led to some 740,000 Rohingya fleeing into neighbouring Bangladesh. Suu Kyi defended Myanmar's actions saying it faced an "internal conflict" and that the military conducted "clearance operations" after an attack by Rohingya militants in August 2017. 'Imminent risk of genocide' But Paul Reichler, another of The Gambia's lawyers, said that those killed included "infants beaten to death or torn from their mothers' arms and thrown into rivers to drown. How many of them were terrorists? "Armed conflict can never be an excuse for genocide," he said. The lawyer said Suu Kyi had also failed to deny the conclusions of a 2018 UN investigation that found that genocide had been committed in Myanmar against the Rohingya. "What is most striking is what Myanmar has not denied," Reichler said. He also dismissed Suu Kyi's insistence that Myanmar's military should be left to probe the allegations itself, saying it was not credible when its own top generals have themselves been accused of genocide. "How could anyone expect the Tatmadaw (Myanmar military) to investigate when six of its top generals, including Min Aung Hlaing, have all been accused of genocide by the UN fact-finding mission?" he asked. The US on Tuesday slapped fresh sanctions including a travel ban on military chief Min Aung Hlaing over the Rohingya crisis. The lawyer added that Suu Kyi in her speech to the court had also followed Myanmar's "racist" policy of refusing to refer to the Rohingya Muslim minority by their name. Gambian Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou pushed the court to impose the emergency measures, saying there was a "serious and imminent risk of genocide recurring" and that "the lives of these human beings are at risk." Suu Kyi was expected to make closing remarks later Thursday. A decision on the measures could take months, while a final ruling if the ICJ decides to take on the full case could take years.

Suu Kyi criticised for 'silence' over Myanmar genocide claims

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WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - December 12, 2019

Dozens of Rohingya Muslims appeared in a Myanmar court on Wednesday (December 11) to face charges of travelling illegally after they were arrested while fleeing persecution, as leader Aung San Suu Kyi defended the country against accusations of genocide against the minority at The Hague.

Fleeing Rohingya on trial in Myanmar for 'illegal travel'

By Mauro Barelli

In what is likely to be a remarkable moment for international justice, Aung San Suu Kyi, the political leader of Myanmar and a Nobel peace prize winner, will be in The Hague this week to lead her country’s defence against allegations of genocide.

On November 11, the Gambia launched proceedings against Myanmar before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for alleged violations of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. I have looked into the question of atrocity crimes, including genocide, as part of my recent research on the principle of the responsibility to protect in international law.

The case focuses on the clearance operations carried out from around October 2016 by Myanmar’s military and security forces against the Rohingya Muslims, a distinct ethnic and religious group that resides primarily in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.

The Gambia claims that those operations amounted to a genocidal campaign of violence that included mass murder, forcible displacement, rape, and other forms of sexual violence. The UN says that 742,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar for neighbouring Bangladesh since 2017 and many are still living in dire conditions in refugee camps.

During the public hearings that the ICJ will hold between December 10 and 12, the Gambia will essentially ask the court to order Myanmar to prevent ongoing atrocities against the Rohingya so as to protect them from further, irreparable harm – something known as “provisional measures”.

This is the third time that the world’s court has been called to establish whether a state is responsible under international law for breaches of the genocide convention. In 2015, the ICJ ruled that neither Croatia nor Serbia had committed genocide during the hostilities that took place in Croatia between 1991 and 1995. In a 2007 case brought by Bosnia-Herzegovina, the court also cleared Serbia of direct responsibility for genocide and complicity in genocide in relation to the 1995 massacre of Srebrenica.

This means that the ICJ has never held a state responsible for committing genocide. In this respect, the 2007 and 2015 verdicts reveal some of the obstacles that the Gambia will face in persuading the court that Myanmar committed genocide against members of the Rohingya group.

Proving ‘intent’ 
 
The genocide convention lists a number of acts, including killing or causing serious bodily or mental harm, that may constitute genocide provided that they are committed with the “intent to destroy”, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.

It is precisely the existence of this special intent that distinguishes genocide from other heinous crimes. This is of special importance given the difficulty of proving genocidal intent in a courtroom. In the absence of direct conclusive evidence, the ICJ will infer genocidal intent from particular circumstances – such as a pattern of acts committed against members of the targeted group – only if the circumstances point unequivocally to the existence of that intent.

Adopting this strict approach in both the 2007 and 2015 judgements, the court determined – with the only exception of Srebrenica – that the atrocities committed during the conflicts in Croatia and Bosnia lacked the requisite intent to destroy the targeted groups, and so could not be qualified as genocide. In the case of Srebrenica, the court ruled that the acts “were committed with the specific intent to destroy in part the group of the Muslims of Bosnia and Herzegovina” and were therefore genocide.

Still, it found that Serbia itself was not directly responsible for the massacre, which was committed by Bosnian Serbs. Serbia was nevertheless found responsible for failing to prevent genocide given that it was in a position of influence over those who devised and implemented it.

The rationale for setting such a high standard of proof is, in the ICJ’s words, that: “Claims against a state involving charges of exceptional gravity must be proved by evidence that is fully conclusive.”

Unsurprisingly, this stringent approach has been the object of much criticism. One of the current judges sitting at the ICJ, Cançado Trindade, noted in 2015 that imposing such a high threshold for proof of genocide runs the risk of reducing the genocide convention to a dead letter.

UN fact-finding mission

To demonstrate the genocidal nature of the violence against the Rohingya, the Gambia – which is backed by the 57 members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation – will rely extensively on UN sources. In March 2017 the UN Human Rights Council created an Independent International Fact-finding Mission on Myanmar and tasked it with establishing the facts and circumstances of the human rights violations committed by Myanmar’s military and security forces against the Rohingya.

The implications of the mission’s investigative activities could be profound. In the 2007 genocide case, the ICJ relied heavily on the judgements of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) to conclude that genocide was committed at Srebrenica. The authoritativeness of the UN’s factfinding mission to Myanmar cannot be equated to that of a tribunal such as the ICTY. Yet, the ICJ is likely to give serious consideration to the mission’s reports in light of the care taken in preparing them, their comprehensiveness, and the independence of those responsible for their preparation.

Crucially, the 2018 and 2019 reports infer genocidal intent behind the attacks against the Rohingya from a number of factors and circumstances linked to, among other others, the brutality and the scale of destruction of the military operations as well as the widespread use of rape and sexual assault during those operations.

The ICJ judges will need to be satisfied with the solidity of this inference of genocidal intent by the UN mission. However, the very fact that they will have to engage with and determine the weight of those findings as evidence will be of paramount importance.

After ruling on the question of provisional measures – and assuming that no jurisdictional obstacles will be identified – the court will fix time limits for the filing of the parties’ written pleadings in the case. After the written and then oral proceedings, the court will begin its deliberation and so it will be some years before a final decision on this important case is made.

(Mauro Barelli is Senior Lecturer in Law, City, University of London)

(This Article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-aung-san-suu-kyi-is-in-the-hague-defending-myanmar-against-allegations-of-genocide-125102">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp;

By Mauro Barelli In what is likely to be a remarkable moment for international justice, Aung San Suu Kyi, the political leader of Myanmar and a Nobel peace prize winner, will be in The Hague this week to lead her country’s defence against allegations of genocide.

By Mauro Barelli In what is likely to be a remarkable moment for international justice, Aung San Suu Kyi, the political leader of Myanmar and a Nobel peace prize winner, will be in The Hague this week to lead her country’s defence against allegations of genocide. On November 11, the Gambia launched proceedings against Myanmar before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for alleged violations of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. I have looked into the question of atrocity crimes, including genocide, as part of my recent research on the principle of the responsibility to protect in international law. The case focuses on the clearance operations carried out from around October 2016 by Myanmar’s military and security forces against the Rohingya Muslims, a distinct ethnic and religious group that resides primarily in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. The Gambia claims that those operations amounted to a genocidal campaign of violence that included mass murder, forcible displacement, rape, and other forms of sexual violence. The UN says that 742,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar for neighbouring Bangladesh since 2017 and many are still living in dire conditions in refugee camps. During the public hearings that the ICJ will hold between December 10 and 12, the Gambia will essentially ask the court to order Myanmar to prevent ongoing atrocities against the Rohingya so as to protect them from further, irreparable harm – something known as “provisional measures”. This is the third time that the world’s court has been called to establish whether a state is responsible under international law for breaches of the genocide convention. In 2015, the ICJ ruled that neither Croatia nor Serbia had committed genocide during the hostilities that took place in Croatia between 1991 and 1995. In a 2007 case brought by Bosnia-Herzegovina, the court also cleared Serbia of direct responsibility for genocide and complicity in genocide in relation to the 1995 massacre of Srebrenica. This means that the ICJ has never held a state responsible for committing genocide. In this respect, the 2007 and 2015 verdicts reveal some of the obstacles that the Gambia will face in persuading the court that Myanmar committed genocide against members of the Rohingya group. Proving ‘intent’ The genocide convention lists a number of acts, including killing or causing serious bodily or mental harm, that may constitute genocide provided that they are committed with the “intent to destroy”, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group. It is precisely the existence of this special intent that distinguishes genocide from other heinous crimes. This is of special importance given the difficulty of proving genocidal intent in a courtroom. In the absence of direct conclusive evidence, the ICJ will infer genocidal intent from particular circumstances – such as a pattern of acts committed against members of the targeted group – only if the circumstances point unequivocally to the existence of that intent. Adopting this strict approach in both the 2007 and 2015 judgements, the court determined – with the only exception of Srebrenica – that the atrocities committed during the conflicts in Croatia and Bosnia lacked the requisite intent to destroy the targeted groups, and so could not be qualified as genocide. In the case of Srebrenica, the court ruled that the acts “were committed with the specific intent to destroy in part the group of the Muslims of Bosnia and Herzegovina” and were therefore genocide. Still, it found that Serbia itself was not directly responsible for the massacre, which was committed by Bosnian Serbs. Serbia was nevertheless found responsible for failing to prevent genocide given that it was in a position of influence over those who devised and implemented it. The rationale for setting such a high standard of proof is, in the ICJ’s words, that: “Claims against a state involving charges of exceptional gravity must be proved by evidence that is fully conclusive.” Unsurprisingly, this stringent approach has been the object of much criticism. One of the current judges sitting at the ICJ, Cançado Trindade, noted in 2015 that imposing such a high threshold for proof of genocide runs the risk of reducing the genocide convention to a dead letter. UN fact-finding mission To demonstrate the genocidal nature of the violence against the Rohingya, the Gambia – which is backed by the 57 members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation – will rely extensively on UN sources. In March 2017 the UN Human Rights Council created an Independent International Fact-finding Mission on Myanmar and tasked it with establishing the facts and circumstances of the human rights violations committed by Myanmar’s military and security forces against the Rohingya. The implications of the mission’s investigative activities could be profound. In the 2007 genocide case, the ICJ relied heavily on the judgements of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) to conclude that genocide was committed at Srebrenica. The authoritativeness of the UN’s factfinding mission to Myanmar cannot be equated to that of a tribunal such as the ICTY. Yet, the ICJ is likely to give serious consideration to the mission’s reports in light of the care taken in preparing them, their comprehensiveness, and the independence of those responsible for their preparation. Crucially, the 2018 and 2019 reports infer genocidal intent behind the attacks against the Rohingya from a number of factors and circumstances linked to, among other others, the brutality and the scale of destruction of the military operations as well as the widespread use of rape and sexual assault during those operations. The ICJ judges will need to be satisfied with the solidity of this inference of genocidal intent by the UN mission. However, the very fact that they will have to engage with and determine the weight of those findings as evidence will be of paramount importance. After ruling on the question of provisional measures – and assuming that no jurisdictional obstacles will be identified – the court will fix time limits for the filing of the parties’ written pleadings in the case. After the written and then oral proceedings, the court will begin its deliberation and so it will be some years before a final decision on this important case is made. (Mauro Barelli is Senior Lecturer in Law, City, University of London) (This Article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Why Aung San Suu Kyi is in The Hague defending Myanmar against allegations of genocide

Since August 2017, nearly 7,00,000 Rohingyas have fled the destruction of their homes and persecution in the Rakhine province of Myanmar for neighbouring Bangladesh.

Known as the 'world's most persecuted minority', the plight of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people is said to be the world's fastest-growing refugee crisis.

International pressure seems to be building on Myanmar over its brutal crackdown on the Rohingyas, first at the International Court of Justice, and now from the United States.

The US Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on four senior officers of the Myanmar Army, freezing any American assets that the sanctioned men may possess.

Those sanctioned include the Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Army - Min Aung Hlaing who is a potential presidential candidate in 2020, his Deputy - Soe Win, and the leaders of two light infantry divisions.

The Treasury Department accuses the army men of leading a brutal purge against the Rohingyas, accusing them of encouraging mass killings and rapes against the ethnic minority.

There are specific charges against the two subordinate officers.

Than oo, who headed the 99th infantry division has been accused of herding hundreds of men, women and children to a riverbank and then mercilessly executing them in 2017.

Aung headed the 33rd light infantry division and is charged with executing over a 100 people in a single operation in august 2017.

The four men who have been sanctioned were earlier barred from entering the United States but that was the extent of American outrage.

Many experts feel that these sanctions are a bit too late, especially considering the seriousness of the crimes.

It is also important to note these sanctions do not target military-owned companies that dominate Myanmar's economy and had funded the Rohingya genocide in 2017.

Since August 2017, nearly 7,00,000 Rohingyas have fled the destruction of their homes and persecution in the Rakhine province of Myanmar for neighbouring Bangladesh.

Since August 2017, nearly 7,00,000 Rohingyas have fled the destruction of their homes and persecution in the Rakhine province of Myanmar for neighbouring Bangladesh. Known as the 'world's most persecuted minority', the plight of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people is said to be the world's fastest-growing refugee crisis. International pressure seems to be building on Myanmar over its brutal crackdown on the Rohingyas, first at the International Court of Justice, and now from the United States. The US Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on four senior officers of the Myanmar Army, freezing any American assets that the sanctioned men may possess. Those sanctioned include the Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Army - Min Aung Hlaing who is a potential presidential candidate in 2020, his Deputy - Soe Win, and the leaders of two light infantry divisions. The Treasury Department accuses the army men of leading a brutal purge against the Rohingyas, accusing them of encouraging mass killings and rapes against the ethnic minority. There are specific charges against the two subordinate officers. Than oo, who headed the 99th infantry division has been accused of herding hundreds of men, women and children to a riverbank and then mercilessly executing them in 2017. Aung headed the 33rd light infantry division and is charged with executing over a 100 people in a single operation in august 2017. The four men who have been sanctioned were earlier barred from entering the United States but that was the extent of American outrage. Many experts feel that these sanctions are a bit too late, especially considering the seriousness of the crimes. It is also important to note these sanctions do not target military-owned companies that dominate Myanmar's economy and had funded the Rohingya genocide in 2017.

Myanmar Rohingya: World's fastest growing refugee crisis

Nearly 100 Rohingya appeared in a Myanmar court Wednesday after being arrested for trying to flee persecution, their lawyer said, as leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/incomplete-and-misleading-suu-kyi-at-un-court-while-referring-to-accusations-of-rohingya-genocide-267647">Aung San Suu Kyi</a> addressed the UN's top court to deny allegations of a genocidal campaign against the ethnic minority.

One-by-one, the weary detainees stepped down from a police van at the courthouse in the western Myanmar city of Pathein.

Their crime was to leave their home townships without permission from authorities.

Rohingya in Rakhine state live under tight restrictions with little access to healthcare, education or livelihoods in conditions Amnesty International brands as "apartheid".

For years Rohingya have taken to boats, trains and buses in attempts to get out, risking everything in the process.

The 95 people, including 25 children, each paid several hundred dollars for a chance at a better life, lawyer Thazin Myat Myat Win told AFP.

"Some even sold their labour in advance" to pay the broker fees, she added.

Instead, they likely face two years in prison for violating the immigration act.

'Apartheid' conditions&nbsp;

They were arrested November 29 after travelling by boat from Rakhine to a southern beach where buses were waiting to take them to the commercial capital Yangon.

Their court appearance came as former rights icon Suu Kyi denied <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmars-suu-kyi-told-to-stop-the-genocide-in-united-nations-court-over-rohingya-crisis-267445">"genocidal intent"</a> in her defence of Myanmar's military operation against the Rohingya at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

On Tuesday the Nobel Peace Prize laureate sat through gruesome testimony of the violence suffered by Rohingya in the bloody military crackdown in 2017 that forced some 740,000 to flee to Bangladesh.

The Gambia, on behalf of dozens of Muslim countries, accuses Buddhist-majority Myanmar of genocide.

The West African state is calling for provisional measures to halt the ongoing persecution suffered by Rohingya in Rakhine.

Some 600,000 remain confined in Myanmar camps and villages, unable to leave without permission.

Many have tried to escape over the years to Thailand or Malaysia, often paying extortionate fees to human traffickers for places on overcrowded, decrepit boats.

'We are helpless'

The next hearing for the detained <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmars-suu-kyi-arrives-at-un-court-for-genocide-hearings-267407">Rohingya in Pathein</a> will be December 20.

They are the third group in recent months to be caught, arrested and put on trial in their attempt to flee Rakhine.

To the outrage of rights groups, the children and teenagers have so far been sent to a detention centre while one five-year-old child was imprisoned with his mother and the rest of the group.

All 52 people were sentenced to two years behind bars.

"Myanmar authorities should urgently&nbsp;free Rohingya jailed for exercising their right to freedom of movement," said John Quinley from Fortify Rights.

He cited the arrests as an example of continued efforts by the government to destroy the Rohingya.

"The International Court of Justice should issue provisional measures to stop the ongoing persecution and violence."

The Rohingya garner little sympathy within Myanmar, where many people buy the official line that the minority are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, even though many trace their roots back generations.

"We are helpless. We've been here eight years and have no jobs," one Rohingya man from Thetkalpyin camp told AFP by phone.

"We hope she (Suu Kyi) will do her best to reveal the truth and solve our problems."

Nearly 100 Rohingya appeared in a Myanmar court Wednesday after being arrested for trying to flee persecution, their lawyer said, as leader Aung San Suu Kyi addressed the UN's top court to deny allegations of a genocidal campaign against the ethnic minority.

Nearly 100 Rohingya appeared in a Myanmar court Wednesday after being arrested for trying to flee persecution, their lawyer said, as leader Aung San Suu Kyi addressed the UN's top court to deny allegations of a genocidal campaign against the ethnic minority. One-by-one, the weary detainees stepped down from a police van at the courthouse in the western Myanmar city of Pathein. Their crime was to leave their home townships without permission from authorities. Rohingya in Rakhine state live under tight restrictions with little access to healthcare, education or livelihoods in conditions Amnesty International brands as "apartheid". For years Rohingya have taken to boats, trains and buses in attempts to get out, risking everything in the process. The 95 people, including 25 children, each paid several hundred dollars for a chance at a better life, lawyer Thazin Myat Myat Win told AFP. "Some even sold their labour in advance" to pay the broker fees, she added. Instead, they likely face two years in prison for violating the immigration act. 'Apartheid' conditions They were arrested November 29 after travelling by boat from Rakhine to a southern beach where buses were waiting to take them to the commercial capital Yangon. Their court appearance came as former rights icon Suu Kyi denied "genocidal intent" in her defence of Myanmar's military operation against the Rohingya at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). On Tuesday the Nobel Peace Prize laureate sat through gruesome testimony of the violence suffered by Rohingya in the bloody military crackdown in 2017 that forced some 740,000 to flee to Bangladesh. The Gambia, on behalf of dozens of Muslim countries, accuses Buddhist-majority Myanmar of genocide. The West African state is calling for provisional measures to halt the ongoing persecution suffered by Rohingya in Rakhine. Some 600,000 remain confined in Myanmar camps and villages, unable to leave without permission. Many have tried to escape over the years to Thailand or Malaysia, often paying extortionate fees to human traffickers for places on overcrowded, decrepit boats. 'We are helpless' The next hearing for the detained Rohingya in Pathein will be December 20. They are the third group in recent months to be caught, arrested and put on trial in their attempt to flee Rakhine. To the outrage of rights groups, the children and teenagers have so far been sent to a detention centre while one five-year-old child was imprisoned with his mother and the rest of the group. All 52 people were sentenced to two years behind bars. "Myanmar authorities should urgently free Rohingya jailed for exercising their right to freedom of movement," said John Quinley from Fortify Rights. He cited the arrests as an example of continued efforts by the government to destroy the Rohingya. "The International Court of Justice should issue provisional measures to stop the ongoing persecution and violence." The Rohingya garner little sympathy within Myanmar, where many people buy the official line that the minority are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, even though many trace their roots back generations. "We are helpless. We've been here eight years and have no jobs," one Rohingya man from Thetkalpyin camp told AFP by phone. "We hope she (Suu Kyi) will do her best to reveal the truth and solve our problems."

95 Rohingya in Myanmar face jail as UN hears 'genocide' case

Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Myanmar today at United Nations' World Court said that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmars-suu-kyi-told-to-stop-the-genocide-in-united-nations-court-over-rohingya-crisis-267445">genocide case</a> brought against her country is ''incomplete and misleading''. She was defending her country, which has faced accusations of mass murdering the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar.&nbsp;

The case against Myanmar was launched by the Gambia, a small West African country. It was taken up at the International Court of Justice, the United Nations' highest court. According to the Gambia, Myanmar violated the 1948 Genocide Convention.

Yesterday, Suu Kyi listened on as lawyers for Gambia detailed graphic testimony of suffering of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmars-suu-kyi-arrives-at-un-court-for-genocide-hearings-267407">Rohingya</a> at the hands of the Myanmar military.

Suu Kyi travelled to The Hague to present her country's stance. According to her office, she was going to "defend the national interest".

The Gambia made its case for the close relationship between Suu Kyi and her country's military by sharing a picture of her with government ministers - Lieutenant-General Ye Aung, Lieutenant General Sein Win and Lieutenant General Kyaw Swe.

The hearing will span for three days with the first phase being about ''provisional measures'' - a somewhat equivalent of a restraining order against Myanmar.&nbsp;

"It cannot be ruled out that disproportionate force was used by members of the defence services in some cases in disregard of international humanitarian law, or that they did not distinguish clearly enough between fighters and civilians," she said.

But she said that Myanmar was undertaking its own investigations, adding: "Surely under the circumstances, genocidal intent cannot be the only hypothesis."

Watch:&nbsp;Aung San Suu Kyi to defend Myanmar at ICJ

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/aung-san-suu-kyi-to-defend-myanmar-at-icj-267434/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Although Suu Kyi has not revealed details of her government's defence, she and her legal team are expected to argue that the court lacks jurisdiction and that no genocide has taken place in Myanmar.

The Gambia has argued it is every country's duty under the convention to prevent a genocide from taking place. The Gambia has political support from the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Canada and the Netherlands.

More than 730,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar after the military launched a crackdown in western Rakhine state in August 2017. Most now live in crowded refugee camps in Bangladesh.

Myanmar argues the military&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmars-suu-kyi-arrives-at-un-court-for-genocide-hearings-267407">"clearance operations"</a>&nbsp;in Rakhine were a justifiable response to acts of terrorism.

(With inputs from Reuters, AFP)

Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Myanmar today at United Nations' World Court said that the genocide case brought against her country is ''incomplete and misleading''.

Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Myanmar today at United Nations' World Court said that the genocide case brought against her country is ''incomplete and misleading''. She was defending her country, which has faced accusations of mass murdering the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar. The case against Myanmar was launched by the Gambia, a small West African country. It was taken up at the International Court of Justice, the United Nations' highest court. According to the Gambia, Myanmar violated the 1948 Genocide Convention. Yesterday, Suu Kyi listened on as lawyers for Gambia detailed graphic testimony of suffering of Rohingya at the hands of the Myanmar military. Suu Kyi travelled to The Hague to present her country's stance. According to her office, she was going to "defend the national interest". The Gambia made its case for the close relationship between Suu Kyi and her country's military by sharing a picture of her with government ministers - Lieutenant-General Ye Aung, Lieutenant General Sein Win and Lieutenant General Kyaw Swe. The hearing will span for three days with the first phase being about ''provisional measures'' - a somewhat equivalent of a restraining order against Myanmar. "It cannot be ruled out that disproportionate force was used by members of the defence services in some cases in disregard of international humanitarian law, or that they did not distinguish clearly enough between fighters and civilians," she said. But she said that Myanmar was undertaking its own investigations, adding: "Surely under the circumstances, genocidal intent cannot be the only hypothesis." Watch: Aung San Suu Kyi to defend Myanmar at ICJ Although Suu Kyi has not revealed details of her government's defence, she and her legal team are expected to argue that the court lacks jurisdiction and that no genocide has taken place in Myanmar. The Gambia has argued it is every country's duty under the convention to prevent a genocide from taking place. The Gambia has political support from the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Canada and the Netherlands. More than 730,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar after the military launched a crackdown in western Rakhine state in August 2017. Most now live in crowded refugee camps in Bangladesh. Myanmar argues the military "clearance operations" in Rakhine were a justifiable response to acts of terrorism. (With inputs from Reuters, AFP)

'Incomplete and misleading': Suu Kyi at UN court while referring to accusations of Rohingya genocide

Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate arrived at the World Court today, to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmars-suu-kyi-told-to-stop-the-genocide-in-united-nations-court-over-rohingya-crisis-267445">assert Myanmar's defence</a> against the alleged genocide of Rohingya Muslims.

The case against Myanmar was launched by the Gambia, a small West African country. It was taken up at the International Court of Justice, the United Nations' highest court. According to the Gambia, Myanmar violated the 1948 Genocide Convention.

Yesterday, Suu Kyi listened on as lawyers for Gambia detailed graphic testimony of suffering of Rohingya at the hands of the Myanmar military.

Suu Kyi travelled to The Hague to present her country's stance. According to her office, she was going to "defend the national interest".

The Gambia made its case for the close relationship between Suu Kyi and her country's military by sharing a picture of her with government ministers - Lieutenant-General Ye Aung, Lieutenant General Sein Win and Lieutenant General Kyaw Swe.

The hearing will span for three days with the first phase being about ''provisional measures'' - a somewhat equivalent of a restraining order against Myanmar.&nbsp;

Although Suu Kyi has not revealed details of her government's defence, she and her legal team are expected to argue that the court lacks jurisdiction and that no genocide has taken place in Myanmar.

The Gambia has argued it is every country's duty under the convention to prevent a genocide from taking place. The Gambia has political support from the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Canada and the Netherlands.

More than 730,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar after the military launched a crackdown in western Rakhine state in August 2017. Most now live in crowded refugee camps in Bangladesh.

Myanmar argues the military <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmars-suu-kyi-arrives-at-un-court-for-genocide-hearings-267407">"clearance operations"</a> in Rakhine were a justifiable response to acts of terrorism.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate arrived at the World Court today, to assert Myanmar's defence against the alleged genocide of Rohingya Muslims. The case against Myanmar was launched by the Gambia, a small West African country.

Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate arrived at the World Court today, to assert Myanmar's defence against the alleged genocide of Rohingya Muslims. The case against Myanmar was launched by the Gambia, a small West African country. It was taken up at the International Court of Justice, the United Nations' highest court. According to the Gambia, Myanmar violated the 1948 Genocide Convention. Yesterday, Suu Kyi listened on as lawyers for Gambia detailed graphic testimony of suffering of Rohingya at the hands of the Myanmar military. Suu Kyi travelled to The Hague to present her country's stance. According to her office, she was going to "defend the national interest". The Gambia made its case for the close relationship between Suu Kyi and her country's military by sharing a picture of her with government ministers - Lieutenant-General Ye Aung, Lieutenant General Sein Win and Lieutenant General Kyaw Swe. The hearing will span for three days with the first phase being about ''provisional measures'' - a somewhat equivalent of a restraining order against Myanmar. Although Suu Kyi has not revealed details of her government's defence, she and her legal team are expected to argue that the court lacks jurisdiction and that no genocide has taken place in Myanmar. The Gambia has argued it is every country's duty under the convention to prevent a genocide from taking place. The Gambia has political support from the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Canada and the Netherlands. More than 730,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar after the military launched a crackdown in western Rakhine state in August 2017. Most now live in crowded refugee camps in Bangladesh. Myanmar argues the military "clearance operations" in Rakhine were a justifiable response to acts of terrorism. (With inputs from Reuters)

Suu Kyi leads Myanmar's defence of Rohingya genocide at UN court today

The United States on Tuesday blacklisted four Myanmar military leaders, including the commander-in-chief, in the toughest action taken yet by Washington for alleged human rights abuses against the Rohingya and other minorities.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmars-suu-kyi-told-to-stop-the-genocide-in-united-nations-court-over-rohingya-crisis-267445">The sanctions</a> targeted the commander-in-chief of the Burmese military, Min Aung Hlaing, on the same day that Myanmar's leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, attended the first day of hearings in a genocide case against Myanmar at the UN's highest court.

A 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar drove more than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh. United Nations investigators have said Myanmar's operation included mass killings, gang rapes and widespread arson and was executed with "genocidal intent."

The military in Myanmar has denied accusations of widespread abuses and said its actions were part of a fight against terrorism.

The US Treasury Department said in a statement on Tuesday Burmese military forces had committed "serious human rights abuse" against ethnic minority groups in Myanmar and that Min Aung Hlaing's forces were responsible for the 2017 military crackdown.

"During this time, members of ethnic minority groups were killed or injured by gunshot, often while fleeing, or by soldiers using large-bladed weapons; others were burned to death in their own houses," the statement said.

Washington's sanctions also targeted Min Aung Hlaing's deputy, Soe Win, and two brigadier generals, Than Oo and Aung Aung, freezing any US&nbsp;assets they have and prohibiting Americans from doing business with them.

The four generals, who were previously barred from entering the United States in July, are not known to have assets in the United States.

The US&nbsp;action falls short of reimposing economic sanctions on Myanmar lifted after a transition from full military rule that began in 2011. It does not target military-owned companies that dominate some sectors of Myanmar's economy.

Some analysts and diplomats have tipped Min Aung Hlaing as a potential presidential candidate in the next election in 2020, when Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy is likely to face opposition from nationalists aligned with the military.

His political ambitions could be damaged by the sanctions, as well as an earlier US&nbsp;travel ban and Facebook's decision in August 2018 to remove the army chief's page that had been his main channel of communication with the public.

The sanctions Tuesday were among a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/as-suu-kyi-looks-on-gambia-asks-un-judges-to-stop-genocide-in-myanmar-267424">round of targets</a> announced on International Human Rights Day.

The United States on Tuesday blacklisted four Myanmar military leaders, including the commander-in-chief, in the toughest action taken yet by Washington for alleged human rights abuses against the Rohingya and other minorities.

The United States on Tuesday blacklisted four Myanmar military leaders, including the commander-in-chief, in the toughest action taken yet by Washington for alleged human rights abuses against the Rohingya and other minorities. The sanctions targeted the commander-in-chief of the Burmese military, Min Aung Hlaing, on the same day that Myanmar's leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, attended the first day of hearings in a genocide case against Myanmar at the UN's highest court. A 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar drove more than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh. United Nations investigators have said Myanmar's operation included mass killings, gang rapes and widespread arson and was executed with "genocidal intent." The military in Myanmar has denied accusations of widespread abuses and said its actions were part of a fight against terrorism. The US Treasury Department said in a statement on Tuesday Burmese military forces had committed "serious human rights abuse" against ethnic minority groups in Myanmar and that Min Aung Hlaing's forces were responsible for the 2017 military crackdown. "During this time, members of ethnic minority groups were killed or injured by gunshot, often while fleeing, or by soldiers using large-bladed weapons; others were burned to death in their own houses," the statement said. Washington's sanctions also targeted Min Aung Hlaing's deputy, Soe Win, and two brigadier generals, Than Oo and Aung Aung, freezing any US assets they have and prohibiting Americans from doing business with them. The four generals, who were previously barred from entering the United States in July, are not known to have assets in the United States. The US action falls short of reimposing economic sanctions on Myanmar lifted after a transition from full military rule that began in 2011. It does not target military-owned companies that dominate some sectors of Myanmar's economy. Some analysts and diplomats have tipped Min Aung Hlaing as a potential presidential candidate in the next election in 2020, when Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy is likely to face opposition from nationalists aligned with the military. His political ambitions could be damaged by the sanctions, as well as an earlier US travel ban and Facebook's decision in August 2018 to remove the army chief's page that had been his main channel of communication with the public. The sanctions Tuesday were among a round of targets announced on International Human Rights Day.

US blacklists head of Myanmar military for alleged rights abuses against Rohingya

Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi arrived at the UN's International Court of Justice on Tuesday to defend her country over charges of genocide against its Rohingya Muslim minority, as back home thousands of people rallied in her support.

Aung San Suu Kyi to defend Myanmar at ICJ

Rohingya Muslims demanded Myanmar be held to account at the United Nations' top court in The Hague, where Myanmar leader and Nobel peace prize laureate <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/thousands-in-myanmar-rally-behind-suu-kyi-ahead-of-hague-court-date-266956">Aung San Suu Kyi</a> is set to defend the country against charges of genocide of the minority community.

More than 730,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar in 2017 after a brutal military-led crackdown the U.N. has said was executed with "genocidal intent" and included mass killings and rape.

Myanmar vehemently denies allegations of genocide. Myanmar says its military campaign across hundreds of villages in northern Rakhine state was in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents.

Rohingya Muslims housed in sprawling <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/rohingya-child-refugees-in-bangladesh-being-denied-education-human-rights-watch-265862">refugee camps</a> in southern Bangladesh reacted strongly on Monday to the prospect of Suu Kyi appearing this week at The International Court of Justice in hearings set for December&nbsp;10 to 12.

Here are some quotes from individuals:

Mohammed Zobayer, 19, who teaches at a learning centre in the camps:

"We&nbsp;witnessed rape, torture and killings. We saw many killed before our eyes. All we could do was run while our homes burned. Now it is time for the global community to act and hold Myanmar accountable for the horrific crimes they committed. They must be held accountable for genocide against the Rohingya.

"Suu Kyi spoke of rape being used by the army as a weapon before she came to power, but she is now the defender of the army. Shame!

"We are eagerly waiting for&nbsp;the hearings ... but are not sure if we will be able to hear it at all because of the poor internet connectivity here."

Nur Alam, 65, whose son was shot dead by the army after the August 2017 crackdown:

"Once Aung&nbsp;San Suu Kyi was an icon of peace and we had huge expectations that things would change when she came to power. We prayed for her, but she has now become an icon of genocide. Instead of protecting us, she has joined hands with the killers. Now she is going to defend the killers. We hate her. Shame on her.

"She and the army and the killers of my son must all be punished. I have longed for this day to come. I'll have no regrets in life if I see they are punished."

Rashid Ahmed, 35, who says 12 of his family members were killed by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/the-lady-and-the-hague-myanmar-leader-suu-kyi-courts-home-audience-266663">Myanmar</a> army:

"Only justice can heal our wounds. I know I'll never get them back, but they will rest in peace when their killers are punished."

Momtaz Begum, 31,&nbsp;holding&nbsp;her three-year-old son in her lap, said in tears:

"The army killed my husband. They raped me and torched my house, they stabbed my six-year-old daughter in the head.&nbsp;I&nbsp;have learned that there will be a trial of&nbsp;Aung&nbsp;San Suu Kyi&nbsp;and the army. We&nbsp;demand the trial of Suu Kyi and the military. Why did they kill our innocent people, our kids?&nbsp;Why did they torture and rape our women? We demand justice."&nbsp;

Jamalida Begum, 29, who said she was raped by the army in 2016 after her husband was killed:

"The military came to my village and killed my husband and burned my house. Three soldiers dragged me to a bush and pointed a gun at me and raped me until I lost&nbsp;consciousness.

"I fled here after the army put up large posters with my photo and went door-to-door looking for me because I gave interviews to foreign journalists after the brutal incident.

"All I want is justice. I want the punishment of those who raped us, killed our people, torched our houses, threw our children into the fire."

Rohingya Muslims demanded Myanmar be held to account at the United Nations' top court in The Hague, where Myanmar leader and Nobel peace prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is set to defend the country against charges of genocide of the minority community.

Rohingya Muslims demanded Myanmar be held to account at the United Nations' top court in The Hague, where Myanmar leader and Nobel peace prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is set to defend the country against charges of genocide of the minority community. More than 730,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar in 2017 after a brutal military-led crackdown the U.N. has said was executed with "genocidal intent" and included mass killings and rape. Myanmar vehemently denies allegations of genocide. Myanmar says its military campaign across hundreds of villages in northern Rakhine state was in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents. Rohingya Muslims housed in sprawling refugee camps in southern Bangladesh reacted strongly on Monday to the prospect of Suu Kyi appearing this week at The International Court of Justice in hearings set for December 10 to 12. Here are some quotes from individuals: Mohammed Zobayer, 19, who teaches at a learning centre in the camps: "We witnessed rape, torture and killings. We saw many killed before our eyes. All we could do was run while our homes burned. Now it is time for the global community to act and hold Myanmar accountable for the horrific crimes they committed. They must be held accountable for genocide against the Rohingya. "Suu Kyi spoke of rape being used by the army as a weapon before she came to power, but she is now the defender of the army. Shame! "We are eagerly waiting for the hearings ... but are not sure if we will be able to hear it at all because of the poor internet connectivity here." Nur Alam, 65, whose son was shot dead by the army after the August 2017 crackdown: "Once Aung San Suu Kyi was an icon of peace and we had huge expectations that things would change when she came to power. We prayed for her, but she has now become an icon of genocide. Instead of protecting us, she has joined hands with the killers. Now she is going to defend the killers. We hate her. Shame on her. "She and the army and the killers of my son must all be punished. I have longed for this day to come. I'll have no regrets in life if I see they are punished." Rashid Ahmed, 35, who says 12 of his family members were killed by the Myanmar army: "Only justice can heal our wounds. I know I'll never get them back, but they will rest in peace when their killers are punished." Momtaz Begum, 31, holding her three-year-old son in her lap, said in tears: "The army killed my husband. They raped me and torched my house, they stabbed my six-year-old daughter in the head. I have learned that there will be a trial of Aung San Suu Kyi and the army. We demand the trial of Suu Kyi and the military. Why did they kill our innocent people, our kids? Why did they torture and rape our women? We demand justice." Jamalida Begum, 29, who said she was raped by the army in 2016 after her husband was killed: "The military came to my village and killed my husband and burned my house. Three soldiers dragged me to a bush and pointed a gun at me and raped me until I lost consciousness. "I fled here after the army put up large posters with my photo and went door-to-door looking for me because I gave interviews to foreign journalists after the brutal incident. "All I want is justice. I want the punishment of those who raped us, killed our people, torched our houses, threw our children into the fire."

Rohingya refugees demand justice at Myanmar World Court

Bangladesh authorities have ordered a leading <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/fourth-rohingya-refugee-shot-dead-over-bangladesh-murder-247016">Rohingya</a> rights group to lock up its headquarters, said a spokesman for the group, which has emerged as a key voice for the Muslim minority stuck in refugee camps.

Officials told community leaders in the camps in south-east Bangladesh to keep the office of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/two-rohingya-killed-in-gun-battle-with-bangladesh-border-guards-252365">Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights</a> (ARSPH) padlocked until further notice.

The order comes amid rising impatience in Bangladesh more than two years into hosting around a million Rohingya refugees, who fled the Myanmar military in a mass exodus.

"The CIC (Camp-in-Charge) directed us to padlock the office and not to gather in it without his prior consent," Sayed Ullah, an ARSPH spokesman, told AFP on Friday.

He said all activities by the rights group have now ground to a halt.

The ARSPH has been led by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/in-rohingya-camps-a-political-awakening-faces-a-backlash-213115">Mohib Ullah</a>, a teacher turned rights activist who has emerged as a key refugee leader and spokesperson in international meetings.

The bamboo and tarpaulin office at Kutupalong, the world's largest refugee settlement, has often housed meetings among Rohingya community leaders. &nbsp;

But Mohib Ullah came under fire in August this year when he led a massive rally of 200,000 refugees to mark the second anniversary of the Myanmar military crackdown.

The rally stoked fears among the Bangladeshi host communities, who have become a minority in the two hilly towns where the Rohingya live in three dozen squalid camps.

After the rally and a failed repatriation attempt the same month, Bangladesh authorities launched a clampdown on the refugees.

They shut down high speed internet in the region and ordered the army to erect barb-wire fences around major settlements.

Bangladesh refugee commissioner Mahbub Alam Talukder said they asked the community leaders to "hold meetings in allocated multipurpose community centres" built by the authorities.

"We did not shut down any office. But we will not allow anything that poses questions on the camps' overall law and order situation," he told AFP.

The ARPSH was formed in late 2017 to collect evidence of an alleged genocide by the Myanmar army during its offensive in Rakhine, the western Myanmar state where Rohingya have been living for generations.

A community leader, on condition of anonymity, expressed concerns over the lockdown.

"This office is a symbol of hope and aspirations of our community. Its shutdown would seriously impact the struggle for our rights."

Bangladesh authorities have ordered a leading Rohingya rights group to lock up its headquarters, said a spokesman for the group, which has emerged as a key voice for the Muslim minority stuck in refugee camps.

Bangladesh authorities have ordered a leading Rohingya rights group to lock up its headquarters, said a spokesman for the group, which has emerged as a key voice for the Muslim minority stuck in refugee camps. Officials told community leaders in the camps in south-east Bangladesh to keep the office of Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights (ARSPH) padlocked until further notice. The order comes amid rising impatience in Bangladesh more than two years into hosting around a million Rohingya refugees, who fled the Myanmar military in a mass exodus. "The CIC (Camp-in-Charge) directed us to padlock the office and not to gather in it without his prior consent," Sayed Ullah, an ARSPH spokesman, told AFP on Friday. He said all activities by the rights group have now ground to a halt. The ARSPH has been led by Mohib Ullah, a teacher turned rights activist who has emerged as a key refugee leader and spokesperson in international meetings. The bamboo and tarpaulin office at Kutupalong, the world's largest refugee settlement, has often housed meetings among Rohingya community leaders. But Mohib Ullah came under fire in August this year when he led a massive rally of 200,000 refugees to mark the second anniversary of the Myanmar military crackdown. The rally stoked fears among the Bangladeshi host communities, who have become a minority in the two hilly towns where the Rohingya live in three dozen squalid camps. After the rally and a failed repatriation attempt the same month, Bangladesh authorities launched a clampdown on the refugees. They shut down high speed internet in the region and ordered the army to erect barb-wire fences around major settlements. Bangladesh refugee commissioner Mahbub Alam Talukder said they asked the community leaders to "hold meetings in allocated multipurpose community centres" built by the authorities. "We did not shut down any office. But we will not allow anything that poses questions on the camps' overall law and order situation," he told AFP. The ARPSH was formed in late 2017 to collect evidence of an alleged genocide by the Myanmar army during its offensive in Rakhine, the western Myanmar state where Rohingya have been living for generations. A community leader, on condition of anonymity, expressed concerns over the lockdown. "This office is a symbol of hope and aspirations of our community. Its shutdown would seriously impact the struggle for our rights."

Bangladesh orders Rohingya rights group office locked

Bangladesh is blocking hundreds of thousands of Rohingya children from accessing meaningful education, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday, urging authorities to lift restrictions on schooling in refugee camps.

In a report called 'Are we not human?', Human Rights Watch accused Bangladesh of violating the rights of 400,000 school-age children who have fled Myanmar and are currently living in the Cox's Bazaar refugee camps.

"Depriving an entire generation of children of education is in no one’s interest," Bill Van Esveld, associate childrens' rights director at Human Rights Watch told Reuters. "The international community needs to act and demand that Bangladesh and Myanmar change course."

More than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar to neighbouring Bangladesh since a 2017 crackdown by Myanmar's military, which followed attacks by Rohingya insurgents.

The Human Rights Watch report said Bangladesh had banned Rohingya refugees from enrolling in schools outside the camps or taking national exams and also barred UN&nbsp;agencies and foreign aid groups from giving formal accredited education.

It accused Myanmar of not agreeing to recognise the use of its school curriculum in the camps.

Bangladesh’s Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission Chief Mahbub Alam Talukder said it was untrue that children in the camps were not being educated and that there were 4,000 learning centres in the camps.

"Rohingya will have to go back to Myanmar," he told Reuters. "They are not our citizens and we can’t allow them to use our national curriculum."

The Myanmar government did not respond immediately to a Reuters request for comment.

Bangladesh is blocking hundreds of thousands of Rohingya children from accessing meaningful education, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday, urging authorities to lift restrictions on schooling in refugee camps.

Bangladesh is blocking hundreds of thousands of Rohingya children from accessing meaningful education, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday, urging authorities to lift restrictions on schooling in refugee camps. In a report called 'Are we not human?', Human Rights Watch accused Bangladesh of violating the rights of 400,000 school-age children who have fled Myanmar and are currently living in the Cox's Bazaar refugee camps. "Depriving an entire generation of children of education is in no one’s interest," Bill Van Esveld, associate childrens' rights director at Human Rights Watch told Reuters. "The international community needs to act and demand that Bangladesh and Myanmar change course." More than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar to neighbouring Bangladesh since a 2017 crackdown by Myanmar's military, which followed attacks by Rohingya insurgents. The Human Rights Watch report said Bangladesh had banned Rohingya refugees from enrolling in schools outside the camps or taking national exams and also barred UN agencies and foreign aid groups from giving formal accredited education. It accused Myanmar of not agreeing to recognise the use of its school curriculum in the camps. Bangladesh’s Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission Chief Mahbub Alam Talukder said it was untrue that children in the camps were not being educated and that there were 4,000 learning centres in the camps. "Rohingya will have to go back to Myanmar," he told Reuters. "They are not our citizens and we can’t allow them to use our national curriculum." The Myanmar government did not respond immediately to a Reuters request for comment.

Rohingya child refugees in Bangladesh being denied education: Human Rights Watch

Ardent fans of Aung San Suu Kyi are snapping up spots on $2,000 tours to The Hague, in a display of moral support as Myanmar faces charges of genocide over the Rohingya crisis at the UN's top court in December.&nbsp;

Supporter rallies, billboards and outpourings of praise online followed the shock announcement by the country's civilian leader last week that she would personally represent Myanmar at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The once-lauded democracy champion will be defending the 2017 military crackdown against the Rohingya minority.

One travel operator is organising a five-day tour to The Hague that includes visa and transportation as part of a $2,150 package, said employee Ma July -- a prohibitive rate for most in the developing nation.

Social influencer Pencilo and well-known TV presenter Mg Mg Aye are among the 20 or so people to have already signed up.

"I believe this is our duty as citizens," Pencilo, 29, told AFP Friday, urging any of her 1.1 million Facebook followers who have the means to do the same.

"It's important the world knows her compatriots are fully behind her."

'We stand with you'

West African nation Gambia will open its case at the ICJ on December 10 on behalf of the 57 member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The mainly Muslim country alleges Myanmar breached the UN's Genocide Convention through bloody "clearance operations" against its Rohingya community two years ago.

Some 740,000 Rohingya fled into sprawling camps in Bangladesh, bringing with them accounts of widespread murder, rape and arson -- violence UN investigators branded as genocide.

The crisis has left Nobel Laureate Suu Kyi's reputation in the West in tatters -- the UN team accused her of complicity -- although allies China, India, Russia and Japan have been largely silent on the issue.

But she remains highly revered in Myanmar where there is little sympathy for the Muslim minority, who are regarded as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Some 3,000 supporters flocked to a rally Sunday in the central city of Monywa and more are planned.

Billboards have also started to appear. One in eastern Myanmar says "We stand with you", below a beaming Suu Kyi with three military-appointed ministers looking jovial -- all super-imposed over a picture of the ICJ building.

Even Israel's ambassador to Myanmar Ronen Gilor was controversially swept up in the news this week.&nbsp;

He wished Myanmar good luck and expressed his hopes for a "good" decision in tweets that were later taken down and described as an error by the Israeli foreign ministry.

'Ready to cooperate'

At the December hearings, the ICJ is expected to rule on interim measures in order to prevent further genocide and the destruction of any evidence.

Myanmar says the crackdown was justified to root out Rohingya militants and insists its own committees are investigating abuse allegations, although rights groups dismiss them as an effort to whitewash atrocities.

In stark contrast to the torrent of patriotism, three of Myanmar's armed rebel groups -- the MNDAA, TNLA and AA -- on Thursday announced their support for the genocide case.

They have been locked in long-running civil wars against the military as they fight for more autonomy for their respective ethnic groups.&nbsp;

Accusing the army of committing "genocide, extrajudicial arrest and inhuman torture" against many ethnic groups over decades, the trio vowed in a statement to cooperate and collect evidences of war crimes.

The ICJ case will be the first of several international legal attempts to bring Myanmar to justice over the Rohingya crisis.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) -- another Hague-based tribunal -- is investigating the Rohingya crisis and rights groups have filed a third lawsuit in Argentina in which Suu Kyi was personally named.

Ardent fans of Aung San Suu Kyi are snapping up spots on $2,000 tours to The Hague, in a display of moral support as Myanmar faces charges of genocide over the Rohingya crisis at the UN's top court in December.

Ardent fans of Aung San Suu Kyi are snapping up spots on $2,000 tours to The Hague, in a display of moral support as Myanmar faces charges of genocide over the Rohingya crisis at the UN's top court in December. Supporter rallies, billboards and outpourings of praise online followed the shock announcement by the country's civilian leader last week that she would personally represent Myanmar at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The once-lauded democracy champion will be defending the 2017 military crackdown against the Rohingya minority. One travel operator is organising a five-day tour to The Hague that includes visa and transportation as part of a $2,150 package, said employee Ma July -- a prohibitive rate for most in the developing nation. Social influencer Pencilo and well-known TV presenter Mg Mg Aye are among the 20 or so people to have already signed up. "I believe this is our duty as citizens," Pencilo, 29, told AFP Friday, urging any of her 1.1 million Facebook followers who have the means to do the same. "It's important the world knows her compatriots are fully behind her." 'We stand with you' West African nation Gambia will open its case at the ICJ on December 10 on behalf of the 57 member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The mainly Muslim country alleges Myanmar breached the UN's Genocide Convention through bloody "clearance operations" against its Rohingya community two years ago. Some 740,000 Rohingya fled into sprawling camps in Bangladesh, bringing with them accounts of widespread murder, rape and arson -- violence UN investigators branded as genocide. The crisis has left Nobel Laureate Suu Kyi's reputation in the West in tatters -- the UN team accused her of complicity -- although allies China, India, Russia and Japan have been largely silent on the issue. But she remains highly revered in Myanmar where there is little sympathy for the Muslim minority, who are regarded as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Some 3,000 supporters flocked to a rally Sunday in the central city of Monywa and more are planned. Billboards have also started to appear. One in eastern Myanmar says "We stand with you", below a beaming Suu Kyi with three military-appointed ministers looking jovial -- all super-imposed over a picture of the ICJ building. Even Israel's ambassador to Myanmar Ronen Gilor was controversially swept up in the news this week. He wished Myanmar good luck and expressed his hopes for a "good" decision in tweets that were later taken down and described as an error by the Israeli foreign ministry. 'Ready to cooperate' At the December hearings, the ICJ is expected to rule on interim measures in order to prevent further genocide and the destruction of any evidence. Myanmar says the crackdown was justified to root out Rohingya militants and insists its own committees are investigating abuse allegations, although rights groups dismiss them as an effort to whitewash atrocities. In stark contrast to the torrent of patriotism, three of Myanmar's armed rebel groups -- the MNDAA, TNLA and AA -- on Thursday announced their support for the genocide case. They have been locked in long-running civil wars against the military as they fight for more autonomy for their respective ethnic groups. Accusing the army of committing "genocide, extrajudicial arrest and inhuman torture" against many ethnic groups over decades, the trio vowed in a statement to cooperate and collect evidences of war crimes. The ICJ case will be the first of several international legal attempts to bring Myanmar to justice over the Rohingya crisis. The International Criminal Court (ICC) -- another Hague-based tribunal -- is investigating the Rohingya crisis and rights groups have filed a third lawsuit in Argentina in which Suu Kyi was personally named.

In display of moral support, Aung Suu Kyi fans join VIP tours for Rohingya genocide trial

A UN envoy on Thursday offered technical expertise to Bangladesh to assess arrangements on an island where the South Asian country plans to shift about 100,000 Rohingya refugees.

Kelly Clements, a deputy high commissioner of the UNHCR, told reporters in Dhaka that the UN wanted to be "engaged" in the proposed refugee relocation, which has been criticised by rights groups.

"We have offered and told the government that we'd like to be engaged and understand better their plans. We have offered our technical experts to come... and assess and see what arrangements have been made," she said.

Nearly a million Rohingya, including some 740,000 who fled a 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine state, are now living in squalid camps in Cox's Bazar, southeastern Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has constructed facilities for some 100,000 people on Bhashan Char, an island in the cyclone-prone coastal belt, and says it is ready to shift the refugees from the crowded settlements.

But aid agencies and rights groups have opposed the idea.

Bangladesh has recently been erecting barbed-wire fences around the Cox's Bazaar camps, a move that the Human Rights Watch (HRW) compared with building an "open air prison".

Clements said the fencing "is not always the best answer in terms of security."

"Obviously we'll try to see how it can be implemented in a way that doesn't adversely affect the refugee community nor the host," she said.

In a reply to a question on the refugees' chances of repatriation, she said it would be "extremely difficult to set a timeline".

A UN envoy on Thursday offered technical expertise to Bangladesh to assess arrangements on an island where the South Asian country plans to shift about 100,000 Rohingya refugees.

A UN envoy on Thursday offered technical expertise to Bangladesh to assess arrangements on an island where the South Asian country plans to shift about 100,000 Rohingya refugees. Kelly Clements, a deputy high commissioner of the UNHCR, told reporters in Dhaka that the UN wanted to be "engaged" in the proposed refugee relocation, which has been criticised by rights groups. "We have offered and told the government that we'd like to be engaged and understand better their plans. We have offered our technical experts to come... and assess and see what arrangements have been made," she said. Nearly a million Rohingya, including some 740,000 who fled a 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine state, are now living in squalid camps in Cox's Bazar, southeastern Bangladesh. Bangladesh has constructed facilities for some 100,000 people on Bhashan Char, an island in the cyclone-prone coastal belt, and says it is ready to shift the refugees from the crowded settlements. But aid agencies and rights groups have opposed the idea. Bangladesh has recently been erecting barbed-wire fences around the Cox's Bazaar camps, a move that the Human Rights Watch (HRW) compared with building an "open air prison". Clements said the fencing "is not always the best answer in terms of security." "Obviously we'll try to see how it can be implemented in a way that doesn't adversely affect the refugee community nor the host," she said. In a reply to a question on the refugees' chances of repatriation, she said it would be "extremely difficult to set a timeline".

United Nations offers to assess Bangladesh's refugee island plan

Myanmar struck back Friday after a surge of global legal pressure over its alleged crimes against the Rohingya, branding an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) "not in accordance with international law".

On Thursday the ICC approved a full probe into Myanmar's 2017 bloody military crackdown against the minority Muslim group.

The decision came after rights groups filed a separate lawsuit in Argentina —- in which former democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi was personally named —- and a further submission of a genocide case at the UN's top court.

Two years ago some 740,000 Rohingya fled over the border into sprawling camps in Bangladesh in violence UN investigators branded as genocide.

Myanmar has repeatedly defended the crackdown as necessary to stamp out militants and has long refused to recognise the authority of the ICC — a position it reiterated Friday.

"The investigation over Myanmar by the ICC is not in accordance with international law," said government spokesman Zaw Htay at a press conference Friday.

Even though the country has not signed up to the court, the ICC ruled last year it has jurisdiction over crimes against the Rohingya because Bangladesh, where they are now refugees, is a member.

Zaw Htay repeated that Myanmar's own committees would investigate any abuses and ensure accountability if needed.

"Myanmar and the government are neither in denial nor closing our eyes," he said.

Critics deride the domestic panels of whitewashing atrocities.

Myanmar accused of genocide

The ICC decision came after West African nation The Gambia on Monday launched a separate case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN's top court, also based in The Hague.

The Gambia, acting on behalf of the 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), accuses Myanmar of genocide. The first hearings are scheduled for December.

The ICJ normally deals with more legalistic disputes between states but also rules on alleged breaches of UN conventions.

Myanmar, which has signed the Genocide Convention, would respond "in accordance with international legal means," said Zaw Htay.

In the case filed Wednesday in Argentina, Suu Kyi was among top Myanmar officials named for crimes against the Rohingya, the first time the Nobel Laureate has been legally targeted over the crisis.

Human rights groups submitted the lawsuit under "universal jurisdiction", a legal principle that some crimes are so horrific, they can be tried anywhere.

The lawsuit demands top leaders -- including army chief Min Aung Hlaing and civilian leader Suu Kyi -- face justice over the "existential threat" faced by the Rohingya.

Argentine courts have taken up other such cases in relation to ex-dictator Francisco Franco's rule in Spain and the Falun Gong movement in China.

Myanmar's government spokesman offered no comment on the lawsuit.

Myanmar struck back Friday after a surge of global legal pressure over its alleged crimes against the Rohingya, branding an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) "not in accordance with international law".

Myanmar struck back Friday after a surge of global legal pressure over its alleged crimes against the Rohingya, branding an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) "not in accordance with international law". On Thursday the ICC approved a full probe into Myanmar's 2017 bloody military crackdown against the minority Muslim group. The decision came after rights groups filed a separate lawsuit in Argentina —- in which former democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi was personally named —- and a further submission of a genocide case at the UN's top court. Two years ago some 740,000 Rohingya fled over the border into sprawling camps in Bangladesh in violence UN investigators branded as genocide. Myanmar has repeatedly defended the crackdown as necessary to stamp out militants and has long refused to recognise the authority of the ICC — a position it reiterated Friday. "The investigation over Myanmar by the ICC is not in accordance with international law," said government spokesman Zaw Htay at a press conference Friday. Even though the country has not signed up to the court, the ICC ruled last year it has jurisdiction over crimes against the Rohingya because Bangladesh, where they are now refugees, is a member. Zaw Htay repeated that Myanmar's own committees would investigate any abuses and ensure accountability if needed. "Myanmar and the government are neither in denial nor closing our eyes," he said. Critics deride the domestic panels of whitewashing atrocities. Myanmar accused of genocide The ICC decision came after West African nation The Gambia on Monday launched a separate case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN's top court, also based in The Hague. The Gambia, acting on behalf of the 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), accuses Myanmar of genocide. The first hearings are scheduled for December. The ICJ normally deals with more legalistic disputes between states but also rules on alleged breaches of UN conventions. Myanmar, which has signed the Genocide Convention, would respond "in accordance with international legal means," said Zaw Htay. In the case filed Wednesday in Argentina, Suu Kyi was among top Myanmar officials named for crimes against the Rohingya, the first time the Nobel Laureate has been legally targeted over the crisis. Human rights groups submitted the lawsuit under "universal jurisdiction", a legal principle that some crimes are so horrific, they can be tried anywhere. The lawsuit demands top leaders -- including army chief Min Aung Hlaing and civilian leader Suu Kyi -- face justice over the "existential threat" faced by the Rohingya. Argentine courts have taken up other such cases in relation to ex-dictator Francisco Franco's rule in Spain and the Falun Gong movement in China. Myanmar's government spokesman offered no comment on the lawsuit.

Myanmar rejects ICC probe over Rohingya as legal pressure mounts

Aung Gyi is forced to fish covertly under the shroud of night in western Myanmar waters as China bids to transform the strategically key region into a shipping and industrial hub, squeezing out locals who fear being left behind in the gold rush.

Myanmar has declared Rakhine state, associated by many worldwide with the military's 2017 bloody crackdown on Rohingya Muslims, open for business but locals fear they are being left out of the gold rush as new rules restrict traditional practises.

Paddies and teak forests will be flattened for a colossal Beijing-backed factory zone and deep-sea port, which will serve as its neighbouring giant's gateway to the Indian Ocean.&nbsp;

But the state's promise for development comes with fishing restrictions -- the waterways have been freed up for Chinese ships -- a situation that has devastated local lives and livelihoods.&nbsp;

"I might be beaten or arrested" if caught fishing illegally, Aung Gyi says as he lays shrimp out to dry by his dilapidated shack in a small fishing hamlet near the town of Kyaukphyu.

"But I have no choice. Otherwise, my family would starve," the 28-year-old adds.&nbsp;

Brutal military operations two years ago ravaged the state’s northern fringes and triggered an exodus of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims, but central Rakhine was left largely unscathed.&nbsp;

While many countries and companies remain squeamish about investing in the state, China and other regional giants have no such qualms.&nbsp;

Billions of cubic metres of gas and millions of barrels of oil from off-shore rigs are already pumped each year from here across the country to southern China.

Beijing is now poised to cement its grip on the area with the deep-sea port, signed off in November last year, and a colossal Special Economic Zone (SEZ) of garment and food processing factories.

Human rights abuses

Further offshore gas development and power stations are already under negotiation with "little if any consideration of the potential cumulative impacts", says Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (MCRB) director Vicky Bowman.

Despite Myanmar's authorities facing allegations of human rights abuses, Singapore, Japan, and Thailand are also competing with China to reap the economic benefits of working with the resource-rich country.

Civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi said in a recent interview with Japan's Nikkei that Myanmar welcomes "all friends who are happy to cooperate with us".&nbsp;

But strong local sentiment has stopped projects in the past, such as the Bejing-backed Myitsone dam in northern Kachin state which stalled in the face of country-wide opposition.&nbsp;

Today the Kyaukphyu deep-sea port and SEZ are a prize piece in China's plethora of infrastructure projects spanning the globe under its Belt and Road initiative.

Myanmar last year succeeded in slashing the cost of port from $7.2bn to $1.3bn, although public details of the framework deal -- as with other Chinese-led projects in the country -- are scant.&nbsp;

China already holds the largest share -- around $4bn or 40 percent -- of Myanmar's foreign debt.

But economist and government advisor Sean Turnell says fears of the project turning into a debt-trap for Myanmar are no longer valid.

The country would not be "on the hook" if the venture failed, he says -- in other words, Myanmar would not take on any outstanding debt.

'Other people's slaves'

Soe Win from the Kyaukphyu SEZ management committee says Myanmar is "definitely" in the stronger negotiating position.&nbsp;

"We have control," he tells AFP.&nbsp;

He also insists locals will be in line for some of the 400,000 jobs the SEZ will bring to the area -- and that they will be given "very good" resettlement deals.

But farmer Saw Maung Nu's land is among territory earmarked to be swallowed up by the 4,200 acre (1,700 hectare) site and he is scared.&nbsp;

"If we’re told to leave, where will we live?" he asks, gesturing from a hilltop to neighbouring countryside snapped up by powerful army generals and cronies eager for a windfall of Chinese cash.

The precedent does not bode well.

An onshore gas plant that turned operational in 2013 saw local people turfed from their land.

"They hardly gave us any money at all," Nu Aye Thar tells AFP as she marches along a high-security fence surrounding the gasworks where she used to grow rice and vegetables.

"Without land, we’re simply other people’s slaves," the 55-year-old adds.

Activist Soe Lwin agrees, saying locals stand to lose out completely from the "uncertain" projects.

"If the money from Rakhine State were actually spent in Rakhine, it would develop overnight."

Aung Gyi is forced to fish covertly under the shroud of night in western Myanmar waters as China bids to transform the strategically key region into a shipping and industrial hub, squeezing out locals who fear being left behind in the gold rush.

Aung Gyi is forced to fish covertly under the shroud of night in western Myanmar waters as China bids to transform the strategically key region into a shipping and industrial hub, squeezing out locals who fear being left behind in the gold rush. Myanmar has declared Rakhine state, associated by many worldwide with the military's 2017 bloody crackdown on Rohingya Muslims, open for business but locals fear they are being left out of the gold rush as new rules restrict traditional practises. Paddies and teak forests will be flattened for a colossal Beijing-backed factory zone and deep-sea port, which will serve as its neighbouring giant's gateway to the Indian Ocean. But the state's promise for development comes with fishing restrictions -- the waterways have been freed up for Chinese ships -- a situation that has devastated local lives and livelihoods. "I might be beaten or arrested" if caught fishing illegally, Aung Gyi says as he lays shrimp out to dry by his dilapidated shack in a small fishing hamlet near the town of Kyaukphyu. "But I have no choice. Otherwise, my family would starve," the 28-year-old adds. Brutal military operations two years ago ravaged the state’s northern fringes and triggered an exodus of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims, but central Rakhine was left largely unscathed. While many countries and companies remain squeamish about investing in the state, China and other regional giants have no such qualms. Billions of cubic metres of gas and millions of barrels of oil from off-shore rigs are already pumped each year from here across the country to southern China. Beijing is now poised to cement its grip on the area with the deep-sea port, signed off in November last year, and a colossal Special Economic Zone (SEZ) of garment and food processing factories. Human rights abuses Further offshore gas development and power stations are already under negotiation with "little if any consideration of the potential cumulative impacts", says Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (MCRB) director Vicky Bowman. Despite Myanmar's authorities facing allegations of human rights abuses, Singapore, Japan, and Thailand are also competing with China to reap the economic benefits of working with the resource-rich country. Civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi said in a recent interview with Japan's Nikkei that Myanmar welcomes "all friends who are happy to cooperate with us". But strong local sentiment has stopped projects in the past, such as the Bejing-backed Myitsone dam in northern Kachin state which stalled in the face of country-wide opposition. Today the Kyaukphyu deep-sea port and SEZ are a prize piece in China's plethora of infrastructure projects spanning the globe under its Belt and Road initiative. Myanmar last year succeeded in slashing the cost of port from $7.2bn to $1.3bn, although public details of the framework deal -- as with other Chinese-led projects in the country -- are scant. China already holds the largest share -- around $4bn or 40 percent -- of Myanmar's foreign debt. But economist and government advisor Sean Turnell says fears of the project turning into a debt-trap for Myanmar are no longer valid. The country would not be "on the hook" if the venture failed, he says -- in other words, Myanmar would not take on any outstanding debt. 'Other people's slaves' Soe Win from the Kyaukphyu SEZ management committee says Myanmar is "definitely" in the stronger negotiating position. "We have control," he tells AFP. He also insists locals will be in line for some of the 400,000 jobs the SEZ will bring to the area -- and that they will be given "very good" resettlement deals. But farmer Saw Maung Nu's land is among territory earmarked to be swallowed up by the 4,200 acre (1,700 hectare) site and he is scared. "If we’re told to leave, where will we live?" he asks, gesturing from a hilltop to neighbouring countryside snapped up by powerful army generals and cronies eager for a windfall of Chinese cash. The precedent does not bode well. An onshore gas plant that turned operational in 2013 saw local people turfed from their land. "They hardly gave us any money at all," Nu Aye Thar tells AFP as she marches along a high-security fence surrounding the gasworks where she used to grow rice and vegetables. "Without land, we’re simply other people’s slaves," the 55-year-old adds. Activist Soe Lwin agrees, saying locals stand to lose out completely from the "uncertain" projects. "If the money from Rakhine State were actually spent in Rakhine, it would develop overnight."

Fear stoked by Chinese-funded port and SEZ in Myanmar's Rakhine

The International Criminal Court on Thursday approved a full investigation into Myanmar's alleged crimes against the Rohingya, as the southeast Asian nation faced mounting legal pressure worldwide over their fate.

Judges backed a prosecution request to probe allegations of crimes against humanity and persecution over Myanmar's 2017 bloody military crackdown against the minority Muslim group.

The ICC decision comes after a week in which former democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi was named in an Argentine lawsuit over crimes against the Rohingya, and Myanmar faced a separate genocide lawsuit at the UN's top court.

More than 740,000 Rohingya people were forced to flee over the border into sprawling camps in Bangladesh, in violence that United Nations investigators say amounts to genocide.

The Hague-based ICC, set up in 2002 to try the world's worst crimes, said it had "authorised the prosecutor to proceed with an investigation for the alleged crimes within the ICC's jurisdiction" relating to Myanmar.

These include allegations of "systematic acts of violence", deportation as a crime against humanity, and persecution on the grounds of ethnicity or religion against the Rohingya, it said.

Myanmar has long denied accusations it committed ethnic cleansing or genocide.

Myanmar is not signed up to the ICC but the court ruled last year that it has jurisdiction over crimes against the Rohingya minority because Bangladesh, where they are now refugees, is a member.

Chief ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda was allowed to open a preliminary investigation on Myanmar in September 2018, and formally applied to begin a full-scale formal probe in July this year.

International justice

The wheels of international justice have turned slowly when it comes to abuses against the Rohingya, but this week they finally creaked into action.

West African nation The Gambia on Monday launched a case at International Court of Justice, the UN's top court also based in The Hague, accusing Myanmar of genocide.

First hearings by the case, which the Gambia filed on behalf of the 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, are due to take place in December.

The ICJ normally deals with more legalistic disputes and border issues between states but has recently been drawn into cases involving alleged breaches of UN conventions on genocide and terrorism.

The ICC case meanwhile will focus on an individual, not state responsibility, which could, in theory, lead to arrest warrants being issued for Myanmar's generals.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Suu Kyi was among several top Myanmar officials named in a case filed in Argentina for crimes against Rohingya Muslims, the first time the Nobel Laureate has been legally targeted over the crisis.

Rohingya and Latin American human rights groups submitted the lawsuit in Argentina under the principle of "universal jurisdiction," a legal concept enshrined in many countries' laws.

The lawsuit demands top military and political leaders -- including army chief Min Aung Hlaing and civilian leader Suu Kyi -- face justice over the "existential threat" faced by the Rohingya Muslim minority.

Argentinean courts have taken up other universal jurisdiction cases, including in relation to ex-dictator Francisco Franco's rule in Spain and the Falun Gong movement in China.

UN investigators last year branded the 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar as "genocide" and called for the UN Security Council to refer the case to the ICC.

But that will now no longer be necessary now that the ICC has launched a probe on its own.

Myanmar has yet to comment on any of the latest three cases filed against it.

The country insists its own investigative committee is able to look into alleged atrocities -- even though critics dismiss the panel as toothless and biased.

The Rohingya garner little empathy inside Myanmar with many people supporting the 2017 military campaign, buying the official line it was a necessary defence against militants and that the Muslim minority are not citizens.

The International Criminal Court on Thursday approved a full investigation into Myanmar's alleged crimes against the Rohingya, as the southeast Asian nation faced mounting legal pressure worldwide over their fate.

The International Criminal Court on Thursday approved a full investigation into Myanmar's alleged crimes against the Rohingya, as the southeast Asian nation faced mounting legal pressure worldwide over their fate. Judges backed a prosecution request to probe allegations of crimes against humanity and persecution over Myanmar's 2017 bloody military crackdown against the minority Muslim group. The ICC decision comes after a week in which former democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi was named in an Argentine lawsuit over crimes against the Rohingya, and Myanmar faced a separate genocide lawsuit at the UN's top court. More than 740,000 Rohingya people were forced to flee over the border into sprawling camps in Bangladesh, in violence that United Nations investigators say amounts to genocide. The Hague-based ICC, set up in 2002 to try the world's worst crimes, said it had "authorised the prosecutor to proceed with an investigation for the alleged crimes within the ICC's jurisdiction" relating to Myanmar. These include allegations of "systematic acts of violence", deportation as a crime against humanity, and persecution on the grounds of ethnicity or religion against the Rohingya, it said. Myanmar has long denied accusations it committed ethnic cleansing or genocide. Myanmar is not signed up to the ICC but the court ruled last year that it has jurisdiction over crimes against the Rohingya minority because Bangladesh, where they are now refugees, is a member. Chief ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda was allowed to open a preliminary investigation on Myanmar in September 2018, and formally applied to begin a full-scale formal probe in July this year. International justice The wheels of international justice have turned slowly when it comes to abuses against the Rohingya, but this week they finally creaked into action. West African nation The Gambia on Monday launched a case at International Court of Justice, the UN's top court also based in The Hague, accusing Myanmar of genocide. First hearings by the case, which the Gambia filed on behalf of the 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, are due to take place in December. The ICJ normally deals with more legalistic disputes and border issues between states but has recently been drawn into cases involving alleged breaches of UN conventions on genocide and terrorism. The ICC case meanwhile will focus on an individual, not state responsibility, which could, in theory, lead to arrest warrants being issued for Myanmar's generals. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Suu Kyi was among several top Myanmar officials named in a case filed in Argentina for crimes against Rohingya Muslims, the first time the Nobel Laureate has been legally targeted over the crisis. Rohingya and Latin American human rights groups submitted the lawsuit in Argentina under the principle of "universal jurisdiction," a legal concept enshrined in many countries' laws. The lawsuit demands top military and political leaders -- including army chief Min Aung Hlaing and civilian leader Suu Kyi -- face justice over the "existential threat" faced by the Rohingya Muslim minority. Argentinean courts have taken up other universal jurisdiction cases, including in relation to ex-dictator Francisco Franco's rule in Spain and the Falun Gong movement in China. UN investigators last year branded the 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar as "genocide" and called for the UN Security Council to refer the case to the ICC. But that will now no longer be necessary now that the ICC has launched a probe on its own. Myanmar has yet to comment on any of the latest three cases filed against it. The country insists its own investigative committee is able to look into alleged atrocities -- even though critics dismiss the panel as toothless and biased. The Rohingya garner little empathy inside Myanmar with many people supporting the 2017 military campaign, buying the official line it was a necessary defence against militants and that the Muslim minority are not citizens.

ICC approves probe into alleged Myanmar Rohingya abuse

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-nations-chief-urges-myanmar-to-ensure-safe-return-of-rohingya-259659">Myanmar faced accusations</a> of genocide in a landmark lawsuit filed by Gambia at the U.N.'s top court on Monday over the Southeast Asian nation's treatment of Rohingya Muslims, Gambia's government said.

Gambia said it was acting on behalf of the 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in bringing the case against Myanmar before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

The lawsuit accuses mainly Buddhist Myanmar of breaching the 1948 U.N. Genocide Convention through a brutal military campaign targeting the Rohingya minority in Rakhine state.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-bangladesh-feels-isi-could-recruit-from-rohingya-camps-246739/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The 2017 crackdown forced 740,000 Rohingya to flee over the border into sprawling camps in Bangladesh, in violence that United Nations investigators say amounts to "genocide".

"The Gambia is taking this action to seek justice and accountability for the genocide being committed by Myanmar against the Rohingya," Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou said in a statement.

The court is expected to hold its first hearings in December on Gambia's request for urgent interim measures "to protect the Rohingya against further harm", Gambia's lawyers Foley Hoag said in a statement, describing the case as "historic".

Human Rights Watch hailed the move by the tiny west African state, saying it was the "first judicial scrutiny" of Myanmar's alleged crimes against the Rohingya.

Param-Preet Singh, associate international justice director at HRW, said the court's "prompt adoption of provisional measures could help stop the worst ongoing abuses" in Myanmar.

The lawsuit asks the ICJ to "order Myanmar to cease and desist from its genocidal acts, to punish the perpetrators, and to provide reparations for the Rohingya victims," Gambia's justice ministry said.

It said Myanmar had failed to meet its obligations to prevent and to punish genocide, accusing it of "wanton acts of violence and malicious degradation with the specific intent of state actors to destroy the Rohingya as a group".

'Stepped up'

Mainly-Muslim Gambia said it had "stepped up" to file the case on behalf of the rest of the OIC. Tambadou is a former genocide prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and has visited <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nearly-400-rohingya-return-to-myanmar-from-bangladesh-embassy-says-259097">Rohingya camps in Bangladesh</a>.

Other legal attempts to bring Myanmar to justice over allegations of crimes against the Rohingya have so far stalled.

The prosecutor for the International Criminal Court,&nbsp;a separate tribunal from the ICJ that investigates war crimes,&nbsp;launched a preliminary investigation into Myanmar in 2018 but no charges have been filed yet.

U.N. investigators have also called on the U.N. Security Council to refer Myanmar to the Hague-based ICC or to set up a tribunal, like for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, but again no action has yet been taken.

The ICJ was set up in 1946 after World War II to adjudicate in disputes between U.N. member states.

It normally deals with issues of international law such as border disputes, but sometimes rules on alleged breaches of U.N. conventions such as those on terrorism or genocide.

The ICJ previously dealt with a genocide case when Bosnia brought a lawsuit against Serbia over the conflict in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s.

That case ended in 2007 with Serbia being held to have failed to prevent genocide during the 1995 Srebrenica massacre and of failing to cooperate with war crimes tribunals.

Myanmar faced accusations of genocide in a landmark lawsuit filed by Gambia at the U.N.'s top court on Monday over the Southeast Asian nation's treatment of Rohingya Muslims, Gambia's government said.

Myanmar faced accusations of genocide in a landmark lawsuit filed by Gambia at the U.N.'s top court on Monday over the Southeast Asian nation's treatment of Rohingya Muslims, Gambia's government said. Gambia said it was acting on behalf of the 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in bringing the case against Myanmar before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. The lawsuit accuses mainly Buddhist Myanmar of breaching the 1948 U.N. Genocide Convention through a brutal military campaign targeting the Rohingya minority in Rakhine state. Watch: The 2017 crackdown forced 740,000 Rohingya to flee over the border into sprawling camps in Bangladesh, in violence that United Nations investigators say amounts to "genocide". "The Gambia is taking this action to seek justice and accountability for the genocide being committed by Myanmar against the Rohingya," Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou said in a statement. The court is expected to hold its first hearings in December on Gambia's request for urgent interim measures "to protect the Rohingya against further harm", Gambia's lawyers Foley Hoag said in a statement, describing the case as "historic". Human Rights Watch hailed the move by the tiny west African state, saying it was the "first judicial scrutiny" of Myanmar's alleged crimes against the Rohingya. Param-Preet Singh, associate international justice director at HRW, said the court's "prompt adoption of provisional measures could help stop the worst ongoing abuses" in Myanmar. The lawsuit asks the ICJ to "order Myanmar to cease and desist from its genocidal acts, to punish the perpetrators, and to provide reparations for the Rohingya victims," Gambia's justice ministry said. It said Myanmar had failed to meet its obligations to prevent and to punish genocide, accusing it of "wanton acts of violence and malicious degradation with the specific intent of state actors to destroy the Rohingya as a group". 'Stepped up' Mainly-Muslim Gambia said it had "stepped up" to file the case on behalf of the rest of the OIC. Tambadou is a former genocide prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and has visited Rohingya camps in Bangladesh. Other legal attempts to bring Myanmar to justice over allegations of crimes against the Rohingya have so far stalled. The prosecutor for the International Criminal Court, a separate tribunal from the ICJ that investigates war crimes, launched a preliminary investigation into Myanmar in 2018 but no charges have been filed yet. U.N. investigators have also called on the U.N. Security Council to refer Myanmar to the Hague-based ICC or to set up a tribunal, like for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, but again no action has yet been taken. The ICJ was set up in 1946 after World War II to adjudicate in disputes between U.N. member states. It normally deals with issues of international law such as border disputes, but sometimes rules on alleged breaches of U.N. conventions such as those on terrorism or genocide. The ICJ previously dealt with a genocide case when Bosnia brought a lawsuit against Serbia over the conflict in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. That case ended in 2007 with Serbia being held to have failed to prevent genocide during the 1995 Srebrenica massacre and of failing to cooperate with war crimes tribunals.

Myanmar faces genocide lawsuit at International Court of Justice over treatment of Rohingya Muslims

Bangladesh said Sunday plans to relocate thousands of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-nations-chief-urges-myanmar-to-ensure-safe-return-of-rohingya-259659">Rohingya living in overcrowded refugee camps</a> to a remote island were "uncertain" after authorities failed to gain support from UN agencies.

Dhaka had wanted to begin its long-held plan this month to move 100,000 people to the mud-silt island of Bhashan Char, amid growing frustration with the presence of the squalid tent settlements in its southeastern border towns.

Bangladesh has said thousands of Rohingya families have volunteered to relocate, with some 3,500 of the Muslim minority due to be moved between mid-November to February during calm seas.

But the plan was&nbsp;in doubt as the U.N. has not supported the relocation so far, Bangladesh disaster management and relief minister Enamur Rahman told AFP.

"This has become uncertain," Rahman said of the relocation to the island, which takes around three hours to reach by boat.

"They (U.N. agencies) still haven't agreed to the relocation plan."

Aid agencies including the UN refugee agency UNHCR, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the World Food Program (WFP), which held meetings with the government, told him the island was "isolated" and "flood-prone".

The agencies set out a list of conditions that had to be met, including a regular shipping service between the islet in the Bay of Bengal and the mainland, Rahman added.

The organisations provide humanitarian aid to the nearly one million Rohingya in the vast camps, including 740,000 who fled a military crackdown in Myanmar in August 2017.

"We won't do anything forcefully," he said, adding that at least two ships were set to ply the waters between the site and the mainland.

A U.N. official told AFP on Sunday that "U.N. agencies cannot support a move for which (they) have no technical information".

Dhaka is due to hold another round of talks with the agencies on Wednesday, Rahman said.

Global activist group Fortify Rights said last month it interviewed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nearly-400-rohingya-return-to-myanmar-from-bangladesh-embassy-says-259097">14 Rohingya at three camps</a>, including some who appeared on lists of refugees allegedly willing to go, and found none had been consulted "and all opposed it".

Other groups have also expressed misgivings about moving people to the island, which is regularly hit by devastating cyclones.

Bangladesh said Sunday plans to relocate thousands of Rohingya living in overcrowded refugee camps to a remote island were "uncertain" after authorities failed to gain support from UN agencies.

Bangladesh said Sunday plans to relocate thousands of Rohingya living in overcrowded refugee camps to a remote island were "uncertain" after authorities failed to gain support from UN agencies. Dhaka had wanted to begin its long-held plan this month to move 100,000 people to the mud-silt island of Bhashan Char, amid growing frustration with the presence of the squalid tent settlements in its southeastern border towns. Bangladesh has said thousands of Rohingya families have volunteered to relocate, with some 3,500 of the Muslim minority due to be moved between mid-November to February during calm seas. But the plan was in doubt as the U.N. has not supported the relocation so far, Bangladesh disaster management and relief minister Enamur Rahman told AFP. "This has become uncertain," Rahman said of the relocation to the island, which takes around three hours to reach by boat. "They (U.N. agencies) still haven't agreed to the relocation plan." Aid agencies including the UN refugee agency UNHCR, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the World Food Program (WFP), which held meetings with the government, told him the island was "isolated" and "flood-prone". The agencies set out a list of conditions that had to be met, including a regular shipping service between the islet in the Bay of Bengal and the mainland, Rahman added. The organisations provide humanitarian aid to the nearly one million Rohingya in the vast camps, including 740,000 who fled a military crackdown in Myanmar in August 2017. "We won't do anything forcefully," he said, adding that at least two ships were set to ply the waters between the site and the mainland. A U.N. official told AFP on Sunday that "U.N. agencies cannot support a move for which (they) have no technical information". Dhaka is due to hold another round of talks with the agencies on Wednesday, Rahman said. Global activist group Fortify Rights said last month it interviewed 14 Rohingya at three camps, including some who appeared on lists of refugees allegedly willing to go, and found none had been consulted "and all opposed it". Other groups have also expressed misgivings about moving people to the island, which is regularly hit by devastating cyclones.

Bangladesh Rohingya island relocation 'uncertain' after United Nations doubts

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