Myanmar is poised to strive not to cast aspersions on any nation, race, religion, or group, either directly or indirectly in facing an application filed by Gambia against Myanmar at International Court of Justice (ICJ) with regard to internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Rakhine State, the press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on November 27.

The Government will not cast aspersions on any nation, race, religion, or group, either directly or indirectly, as we defend our nation at the ICJ, it said in the press release.

It is heartening to see that people from all walks of life, those in the Union as well as those living abroad at present, are expressing their strong support for the State Counsellor, the press release said.

“The issue before the ICJ is of national concern and affects the interests of all our people. Their support sustains us and their unity is the strength of the nation,” it revealed in the press release.

The crime of ‘Genocide’ refers to acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national or racial group. It is an issue that concerns all civilized nations and peoples. Myanmar was the 42nd member state to sign the Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (‘Genocide Convention’) on 30th December 1949, according to the press release.

Myanmar became a State Party to the Genocide Convention on 14th March 1956. In the process of seeking Parliament’s approval on 2nd September 1955, the Minister concerned declared to the Parliament, “I can state with full confidence that today Myanmar has not engaged in any act to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, racial or religious group or any other group. This has not happened today and it will not happen in the future”, it said in the press release.

“Gambia, on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), has filed an application against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on November 11.

“The State Counsellor, in her capacity as Union Minister for Foreign Affairs, will lead the legal team to contest the case brought by Gambia to the ICJ in The Hauge in Netherlands,” it said in the press release.

The hearing will start in The Hauge in Netherlands on December 10 and it will continue up to December 12.

At present, protests in favour of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who is going to defend Myanmar at the ICJ are being staged in all parts of the country.

Edited by Win Htut