UN Court Begins Historic Hearings on Myanmar’s Rohingya Genocide Case

Post by : Saif Nasser

The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the highest court of the United Nations, has begun long-awaited hearings to decide whether Myanmar committed genocide against the Rohingya Muslim minority. This moment is deeply important for the Rohingya people, who have suffered for years, and for the global fight for justice and human rights.

The case was filed in 2019 by The Gambia, a small country in West Africa. The Gambia says Myanmar broke the 1948 Genocide Convention during a military operation carried out in 2017. That operation forced more than 700,000 Rohingya to flee their homes in Myanmar’s Rakhine state and escape to Bangladesh. Many families crossed the border with nothing, leaving behind burned villages, missing relatives, and lifelong trauma.

The Rohingya have faced discrimination in Myanmar for decades. They were denied citizenship, basic rights, and protection. In 2017, after attacks by a Rohingya insurgent group, Myanmar’s military launched what it called a security operation. Survivors and human rights groups, however, described mass killings, rape, and the burning of thousands of homes. These reports led to global outrage and calls for accountability.

Myanmar has always denied committing genocide. When the case was first heard in 2019, the country was represented by Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and then the civilian leader of Myanmar. She told the court that the military actions were part of a conflict with militants and not an attempt to destroy an ethnic group. Since then, Myanmar has changed dramatically. In 2021, the military seized power in a coup, and Aung San Suu Kyi is now in prison on charges her supporters say are false and politically motivated.

Myanmar also tried to stop the case by saying the court had no right to hear it, arguing that The Gambia was not directly affected by the conflict. In 2022, the judges rejected this argument and allowed the case to continue, saying that all countries that signed the Genocide Convention have a duty to prevent genocide anywhere in the world.

While legal debates continue in The Hague, the situation for Rohingya refugees remains extremely painful. Around 1.2 million Rohingya are living in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh. Life in these camps is hard and unsafe. Many children have no proper education, food supplies are limited, and crime is rising. Aid cuts in recent years have made conditions worse, with reports of children suffering from hunger and disease.

For many Rohingya, the ICJ case is a rare source of hope. Refugee advocates say the hearings show that the world has not completely forgotten them. Even if justice takes time, being heard by the UN’s top court gives victims a sense of dignity and recognition.

The decision in this case could have a global impact. Proving genocide is legally very difficult because the court must decide whether there was intent to destroy a group. Legal experts say whatever the judges decide will influence future genocide cases and international law. It could also affect ongoing investigations at the International Criminal Court, which is considering an arrest warrant for Myanmar’s military leader over crimes against the Rohingya.

This case is a major test of the world’s promise to never allow genocide again. For the Rohingya, it is about more than laws and courts. It is about truth, accountability, and the hope that one day they can live safely and freely. As the hearings begin, the world is watching closely to see whether justice can finally move one step closer for one of the most persecuted communities on Earth.