Inside Story

Will ruling of world’s highest court help Rohingya Muslims?

International Court of Justice says Myanmar must prevent genocide against its Rohingya Muslim minority.

The International Court of Justice, the world’s highest court, ordered Myanmar’s government to prevent its military from committing acts of genocide against the Rohingya.

The ICJ has also warned the Rohingya remain at serious risk of genocide and ordered the country to abide by the genocide convention, and take all measures within its power to prevent further killings.

The case brought by The Gambia last year accuses Myanmar of committing a continuing genocide against its mostly Muslim Rohingya population. Myanmar denies the allegations.

Thursday’s ruling comes just days after an inquiry backed by Myanmar’s government dismissed allegations of genocide. Myanmar’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi says the Rohingya have “exaggerated” abuses. 

What does this ruling mean and will Myanmar abide by the orders?

Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom

Guests:

Thomas MacManus – Director of International State Crime Initiative at Queen Mary University of London

Azeem Ibrahim – Chair of the Center for Global Policy’s Rohingya Legal Forum and author of The Rohingyas: Inside Myanmar’s Hidden Genocide

Simon Adams – Executive director of Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect and adviser to The Gambia on Rohingya case