December 25, 2024
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) announced on December 24 that Ireland has applied to participate in the case filed by The Gambia against Myanmar, accusing it of committing genocide against the Rohingya.
Irelandโs application, submitted under Article 63 of the ICJ Statute, was filed on December 20, 2024. This provision allows states to intervene in cases where they have a special interest in the interpretation of a convention, such as the Genocide Convention.
Belgium, Congo, and Slovenia also submitted applications this month to support The Gambia in the case against Myanmar. Earlier, countries including Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the Maldives were granted permission by the ICJ to join the proceedings in July 2022.
The Gambia initiated the case at the ICJ in 2019, accusing Myanmar of orchestrating a genocide against the Rohingya, a minority group forced to flee violence in Rakhine State in 2017. A United Nations fact-finding mission established the same year concluded that Myanmarโs military committed acts of genocide against the Rohingya population.
In 2019, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi denied the genocide allegations at the ICJ, defending Myanmarโs military, but the court allowed the case to proceed.
In contrast, the National Unity Government (NUG), opposing the military regime, has acknowledged the atrocities against the Rohingya and pledged to uphold their rights, including citizenship and safe repatriation, while seeking justice and international accountability for the militaryโs actions.
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