Rohingya Genocide Case: 104 UK MPs urge govt to support it

More than 100 UK MPs have called on the British government to support The Gambia's Rohingya genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as human rights violations against the Rohingyas continue.

"Ending impunity is essential not only to ensure justice and uphold international law, but also to deter further international crimes by the military in Myanmar," according to a letter to UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Dominic Raab MP, issued on Thursday.

Rushanara Ali and Jeremy Hunt, co-chairs of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Rights of the Rohingya, signed the letter on behalf of 104 lawmakers.

The MPs said, "We are convinced that if the United Kingdom joins the case, it will bring significant added value, both legally and symbolically."

The Gambia has brought proceedings against Myanmar for breach of the Genocide Convention, in response to Myanmar's treatment of the Rohingya, a minority ethnic group who live in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

More than 750,000 Rohingyas fled a brutal military crackdown and took shelter in Bangladesh in 2017.

The ICJ has ordered provisional measures, requiring Myanmar to take steps to protect the Rohingya who remain in Myanmar, and submit regular reports to it. Canada and Netherlands have already intervened in the case.

The letter said the United Kingdom has traditionally led the world in promoting human rights in Myanmar. The UK is now the "penholder" at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the founder of the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI).

"At the same time, given our leading role, and our status as penholder at the UNSC, our failure to join the case could unintentionally send the wrong signal to the military regarding our commitment to addressing impunity."

The MPs said with human rights violations against the Rohingyas continuing, including the disenfranchisement of Rohingya in the recent election, and no sign of any changes by the government of Myanmar that would create conditions for safe return of Rohingya refugees, it is clear more still needs to be done.

With Russia and China blocking a full referral of Burma to the International Criminal Court by the UNSC, joining the case at the ICJ is currently the best available avenue for pursing justice and ending impunity, the letter said.

"It is essential the British government throws its full weight behind this case."

They said in addition to British parliamentarians, experts in international law, and human rights organisations believe that a UK intervention would bring benefits in helping to ensure the most positive outcome from the case.