The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is set to hold the third hearing on January 13 regarding the alleged genocide of Muslims in Rakhine State by the Myanmar military.
Both Myanmar and Gambia will attend the hearing. A delegation representing the military junta departed for the Netherlands on January 9 to participate.
The National Unity Government (NUG) on January 9 urged that the military junta not be allowed to represent Myanmar in the ICJ hearings concerning the Rakhine Muslim case.
Since the military coup in 2021, the only legitimate representative of the Myanmar people at the ICJ has been the NUG. All authority related to the Gambia–Myanmar lawsuit rests solely with the NUG.
The NUG stated that the military junta is an illegitimate body and that any submissions made by the junta do not represent the will of the Myanmar people.
According to the NUG, U Kyaw Moe Tun, Myanmar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, has been appointed as the Additional Alternate Agent authorized to represent Myanmar at the ICJ.
On March 30, 2021, the then Interim Vice President officially appointed U Kyaw Moe Tun as the Additional Alternate Agent for this case, and the ICJ was formally notified of this appointment, according to the NUG.
The NUG emphasized that it fully recognizes the ICJ’s jurisdiction and has withdrawn all previous preliminary objections it had submitted.
The NUG also stated that ensuring justice for the Muslim population is a critical process for the future of Myanmar.
