The hearing on Rohingya genocide case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague today has brought a light of hope to Rohingya refugees now residing at the biggest refugee camp in the world at Cox’s Bazar, and waiting for justice since long. Countless survivors of violence and other atrocities are now starting to believe that Myanmar could legally be held to account for its ‘ruthless campaign of ethnic cleansing’ for decades against the Rohingyas in the Rakhine state of Myanmar.
During spot visits to Rohingya refugee camps at Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas in Cox’s Bazar on Monday, many Rohingyas told Bangladesh Post that the proper and quick trial of Myanmar army generals, the perpetrators of genocide, would give the refugees the courage and confidence to return to their country. Sirajul Mostafa a refugee leader in Kutupalong Camp said, “Though the ICJ proceeding doesn’t involve repatriation, if the process changes what is going on in Rakhine state, that will help the Rohingyas to get back confidence.”
“The trial before the ICJ with the support of Bangladesh, has created history; the Rohingya nation could never have imagined this, he added. More than 1000,000 Rohingyas fled Myanmar in 2017, after systematic and brutal military-led crackdown, the U.N has said, was executed with “genocidal intent” and included mass killings and rape.
Shafiqa Begum a survivor of Tulatoli village of Rakhine said, " We never thought the trial of the oppressors would be starting; now they (Myanmar authorities) will be forced to give us back the houses and land that we had to leave two years ago.” “We are hopeful ’said Shafiqa, who lost many relatives including husband and father- in – law, is now surviving in a trauma, “They have driven us out through murder and persecution; if any of us had done wrong, Myanmar could have brought us to justice, and killed us.”
Gambia’s case against Myanmar at the ICJ for violating the Genocide Convention, filed on November 11, 2019, is against Myanmar’s campaign of murder, rape, arson, and other atrocities against Rohingya Muslims. Several international agencies including the UN fact finding mission have documented hundreds of the cases of genocide and other crimes based on many survivors in refugee camps in Cox' s Bazar that is now strong evidence of the horrific acts of the Myanmar authorities.
The trial will begin on December 10 before the International Court in the Hague, of Netherlands, where Myanmar State Councilor Aung Sun Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace prize laureate has reached to defend her country before the court. Many Rohingya and refugee rights activist around the world have also reached the Hague.
Raziya Ahamed Mimi, a refugee rights activist and lawyer involved with the UN fact finding mission in Bangladesh said, “While the case may take many years to reach a final ruling, Gambia has asked the court for an order for provisional measures to protect the rights of the Rohingyas, under the Genocide Convention, and to prevent the aggravation or extension of the dispute pending the final judgment of the Court.”
Mimi on the way to the Hague connected with this correspondent on Monday evening on social media, also said, “Military necessity would never justify killing indiscriminately, gang raping women, assaulting children, and burning entire villages. The Myanmar forces tactics are consistently and grossly disproportionate to actual security threats, especially in the Rakhine state, and also in northern Myanmar,”
“Not only Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state, but another ethnic minority of Shan and Chin states of northern Myanmar could get justice thorough the move of the UN fact finding mission and other international organizations investigating crimes against humanity in Myanmar, Mimi said.
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