Asia Justice Coalition hails ICJ verdict

The Asia Justice Coalition, a network of organizations that have come together to focus on international justice and accountability in Asia, has welcomed the order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) indicating provisional measures against Myanmar in a case brought before the court by The Gambia.

The Hague-based court has ordered Myanmar to take emergency measures to prevent genocide of the Rohingya. In a unanimously-ruled order issued by a panel of 17 judges, and read by presiding Judge Abdulaqawi Ahmed Yusuf, the court upheld the provisions of the 1948 Genocide Convention, saying Myanmar had "caused irreparable damage to the rights of the Rohingya".

The Asia Justice Coalition, in a statement issued on Thursday, urges members of the international community to unequivocally support the pursuit of justice for the Rohingya and to impress upon Myanmar the legal obligation to comply with the order of the court. The combine laid emphasis on the importance of international justice and accountability initiatives to address the atrocities and pursue justice in Myanmar, on the basis of individual criminal responsibility as well as state responsibility.