FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 23, 2020 - Oregon Rohingya Community and Never Again Coalition welcome the historic and unanimous decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to issue provisional measures in the case of The Gambia v. Myanmar. Citing a real and imminent risk to the Rohingya people prior to the ICJ’s final ruling, the provisional measures require Myanmar to prevent any acts of genocide against the Rohingya and to protect and preserve any evidence of past acts of genocide. The ICJ also approved The Gambia’s request for Myanmar to provide the Court with reports every six months on the steps it is taking to comply with the provisional measures.
Today is cause for celebration for the entire Rohingya community including the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya still living in Myanmar, many confined to camps. This is an important day for all ethnic minority communities in Myanmar who have also been persecuted by the Burmese military for decades.
This is the first time an international court has ordered Myanmar to end any acts of genocide. And while this is the first step on the road to justice and accountability for the Rohingya, we call on the international community and United Nations Security Council to ensure that Myanmar complies with the measures and commits to take action if they fail to do so.
We are gravely disappointed with Myanmar’s statement following the ICJ’s orders, continuing its denial of committing genocide. We strongly urge Myanmar to comply with the ICJ’s measures and immediately cease any genocidal activities. Only then will the chance of justice be possible.
Lastly, we express our sincere appreciation and gratitude to The Gambia and particularly Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou for his belief that “genocide will not be accepted under any circumstances by any perpetrators.” With the ruling falling in the same week as the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, this case serves as hope for all victims of genocide and renews the possibility for the international community to put true meaning behind “never again.”