On August 25, 2022, we commemorated Remembrance Day for the Rohingya, so terribly affected by State violence in Burma. Five years after the exodus of nearly more than 700,000 of them to Bangladesh, “no one has been held accountable for crimes against humanity and acts of genocide committed against the Rohingya population[1]”.
Since the military coup of February 1, 2021, the brutal repression carried out by the junta has extended to an entire people and is characterized by the commission of crimes against humanity and war crimes. The barbarity of the Burmese military, which seems limitless, feeds on decades of impunity and the world’s inaction to put an end to it. More than ever, governments must explore all possible avenues to bring justice and hold those responsible for the atrocities committed by the Burmese military to account.
By this letter, we ask France to formally support The Gambia’s case against Burma, initiated in November 2019 before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for violation of the Genocide Convention. France, which prides itself on being the motherland of human rights, must engage in this procedure.
To mark the August 25 commemorations, the United Kingdom and Germany announced their support for The Gambia’s case. As early as September 2020, Canada and the Netherlands publicly declared their intention to support this procedure, stating that “the Genocide Convention embodies the solemn commitment to prevent the crime of genocide and to hold accountable those responsible. By submitting this request to the ICJ, The Gambia has taken a commendable step towards ending impunity for those who commit atrocities in Burma and ensuring compliance with this commitment”.
Canada and the Netherlands added that it was “their duty to support these efforts which concern all of humanity”.
We believe that it is now France’s duty to support these efforts, within the framework of a procedure marked by expected progress. In a judgment of July 22, 2022, the ICJ dismissed Burma’s preliminary objections and concluded that The Gambia had standing, as a State Party to the Genocide Convention, to invoke Burma’s responsibility.
France’s initiative, carried out in the name of justice and the fight against impunity in Burma, will be considered as a milestone in the quest for justice of the Burmese people as a whole.
For more information, please contact:
- Sophie Brondel, Info Birmanie, sophie@info-birmanie.org + 33 07 62 80 61 33
Signatories:
- Action Against Myanmar Military Coup (Sydney)
- Ah Nah Podcast – Conversation with Myanmar
- ALTSEAN Burma
- Association Suisse Birmanie (ASB)
- Beyond Borders Malaysia
- Burma Action Ireland
- Burma Campaign UK
- Burma Human Rights Netwok (BHRN)
- Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK)
- Communauté Birmane de France (CBF)
- Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW)
- CRPH & NUG supporters Ireland
- CRPH Funding Ireland
- Doh Atu Ensemble pour le Myanmar
- Educational Initiatives Prague
- European Karen Network (EKN)
- Fédération internationale des droits de l’Homme (FIDH)
- Global Myanmar Spring Revolution (GMSR)
- Info Birmanie
- International Association Myanmar-Switzerland (IAMS)
- International Karen Organisation (IKO)
- International Society of Myanmar Scholars and Professionals
- Japan Myanmar Help Network
- Justice for Myanmar
- Justice4Rohingya UK
- Karen Swedish Community (KSC)
- Ligue des droits de l’Homme (LDH)
- Myanmar Accountability Project (MAP)
- Myanmar people in Ireland
- Myanmar Community Austria (MCA)
- Progressive Voice
- Rohingya Action Ireland
- Supporting Myanmar Australia
- Swedish Burma Committee
- US Burma Campaign
- Women Activists Myanmar
[1] Human Rights Watch, August 24 2022 : Myanmar: No Justice, No Freedom for Rohingya 5 Years On