Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK welcomes decision of France to join ICJ case

Media Release from Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK 
For immediate release 12 September 2023

The Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) today welcomed France’s decision to intervene in The Gambia v. Myanmar case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the Rohingya genocide. The decision was announced in a statement on 11 September at the conclusion of President Macron’s visit to Bangladesh.

“France is a global power and the decision to intervene in the case is significant. We are very grateful for this announcement by President Macron”, said Tun Khin, President of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK.

France is joining the Netherlands, Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom, who have already declared their intention to intervene in the case.

“We now need to see France go further and support a meeting at the UN Security Council to address the Burmese military’s non-implementation of the provisional measures set out by the ICJ to stop the Rohingya genocide”, Tun Khin said.The United Kingdom is the penholder on Burma at the UN Security Council and can call such a meeting but has so far refused to do so.

The International Court of Justice set out provisional measures in January 2020 to protect Rohingya while the case is ongoing. In brief, the measures require Burma to prevent the commission of genocidal acts, ensure security forces and those under its influence do not commit or incite genocide, preserve evidence of alleged genocidal acts, and report back within four months on its compliance with the order and every six months thereafter until the case concludes. These reports are not public.

In a series of reports, BROUK has shown how the Burmese military keep breaking the order from the International Court of Justice. The latest report, “Preventable Deaths in Cyclone Mocha and the Rohingya genocide”, published on 25 May 2023, showed how the withholding of emergency humanitarian aid to Rohingya in Rakhine State by officials in the wake of Cyclone Mocha formed part of the genocidal policies against Rohingya. 

“Three and a half years have passed since the court issued the provisional measures and the Burmese military is breaking every one of them without any consequence, so their impunity continues. Rohingya in Rakhine State are facing restrictions on humanitarian aid and access to healthcare. They are facing extortion by officials. Some are so desperate that they are risking their lives fleeing by boat. Inaction by the UN Security Council is causing Rohingya deaths,” said Tun Khin.

For more information please  contact Tun Khin on +44 7888714866

LINKS BROUK report “Preventable Deaths in Cyclone Mocha and the Rohingya genocide”: https://www.brouk.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Preventable-Deaths-in-Cyclone-Mocha-and-the-Rohingya-Genocide.pdf 

Provisional measures set out by the International Court of Justice: https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/178/178-2020