Statement: U.S. must Support ICJ Ruling In Burma Genocide Case

International Court of Justice

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 23, 2020
Contact: Michael Galant  [email protected]  203-260-4654

 WASHINGTON — Win Without War calls on the Trump administration and members of Congress to demand that the government and military of Burma fully comply with the unanimous ruling announced today by the International Court of Justice in a landmark genocide trial against the regime.

Burma is accused of committing genocide against the Rohingya ethnic minority. More than seven hundred thousand Rohingya have escaped into neighboring Bangladesh after the military launched genocidal attacks on Rohingya villages in 2017. One million Rohingya now live in the largest refugee camp in the world there. More than five hundred thousand remain in Rakhine State in Burma, where one hundred thousand languish in government internment camps. Today’s ruling was in response to concerns that the Rohingya remain in extreme danger.

Win Without War Executive Director Stephen Miles made the following statement: “It is crucial that the U.S., and governments throughout the world, demand that Burma fully comply with today’s historic ruling by the International Court of Justice. Strong economic sanctions should be imposed if the government and military of Burma fail to comply with the court.

“This is an opportunity for the U.S. to save thousands of lives and stop the relentless persecution of a defenseless minority, and all without firing a single shot — in other words, to win without war.”

The International Court of Justice ruled that Burma must take measures to stop further acts of genocide against the Rohingya and prevent the destruction of evidence in the genocide case. It ordered the government to report on all measures taken to comply with the ruling in four months and then every six months.

The ruling will now be transmitted to the United Nations Security Council where the U.S. is a permanent member.

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Win Without War is a diverse network of activists and national organizations working for progressive foreign policy in the United States.