Myanmar Genocide: Regime forms legal team for ICJ
The Myanmar military regime has organised a new legal team, led by its Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin, to present the defense in the Rohingya genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The regime's order to restructure the committee, which was previously led by detained State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, was announced in a bulletin published by the Myanmar Gazette on Thursday.
The panel has eight members, which include two former military officers -- U Wunna Maung Lwin, who will serve as chairman; and the regime's planning, finance and industry minister, U Win Shein. Two serving lieutenant generals -- Yar Pyae and Adjutant General Myo Zaw Thein – are also members
The other members of the panel are the junta's minister for international cooperation U Ko Ko Hlaing, union attorney general Thida Oo, deputy foreign minister U Kyaw Myo Htut and international criminal law expert Khin Oo Hlaing, reported Myanmar newspaper The Irrawaddy.
About 750,000 Rohingyas fled a ruthless military crackdown and took shelter in Bangladesh in 2017, which was termed a genocide by rights groups. In November 2019, The Gambia filed a case at the ICJ, accusing Myanmar of committing genocide against the Rohingya.
The Gambia's legal team submitted a list of the Myanmar military's atrocities against the Rohingyas, including mass rapes, murder and burning their houses. As the case could take years, The Gambia asked the ICJ to order Myanmar to take "provisional measures" to prevent more violations.
The ICJ then ordered Myanmar to report on its compliance with the provisional measures in four months and then every six months thereafter.
The then Aung San Suu Kyi-led civilian government submitted two reports prior to the military in a coup on Feb 1.
The deputy foreign minister for Myanmar's parallel National Unity Government (NUG), U Moe Zaw Oo, during an online press conference on June 4, said the civilian government would no longer offer a defense in the case. It vowed to work with the ICJ and said it would accept the court's decision in the case.
The NUG also said it is considering accepting the exercise of jurisdiction by a separate international court -- the International Criminal Court -- over the killings, torture and other crimes against civilians committed by the Myanmar junta since the coup.
The Myanmar military seized power from the democratically elected National League for Democracy government, detained civilian leaders and abolished the new parliament on the day it was scheduled to convene.