By Adama Makasuba
The Gambia has asked International Court of Justice in Hague to reject Myanmar’s meritless preliminary objections in an ongoing genocide case.
The Gambian team led by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Hon. Dawda A. Jallow told the world’s top court that “The Gambia may be a geographically small state, but we stand tall in the international community of states and take pride in promoting and protecting human rights and international accountability for atrocity crimes like genocide.”
He said this is “why this court must reject Myanmar’s meritless preliminary objections, and proceed to adjudicate the merits of this dispute”.
The Gambia 2019 filed a legal suit in ICJ against Myanmar for failing to prevent or punish acts of genocide against Rohingya Muslims. The Myanmar Security forces are accused of committing acts of mass rapes, killings and torture against the Rohyinga populations as well as the torching of thousands of homes, causing as many as 700,000 Rohingya to flee into neighbouring Bangladesh.
He also told the court that in ensuring Justice and accountability for those acts of genocide, and for Myanmar’s ongoing act of genocide, is not just possible, adding it is necessary, a solemn obligation shared by The Gambia, every other state party to the Genocide Convention and the international community as a whole.
He said that it is due to this aforementioned reason that the international community drafted and adopted the 1948 Genocide Convention.
“It is why the Gambia filed its application against Myanmar over two years ago. It is why the United Nations (UN), the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) and States around the world have welcomed and supported the Gambia’s case and it is this why The Netherland and Canada have publicly announced their intention to intervene under Article 63 of the Court’s Statute,” he told the court.