This tiny African country got the U.N.’s top court to investigate Myanmar for genocide

The Washington Post  
Analysis
By Oumar Ba
Jan. 29, 2020

Why would Gambia step up for the Muslim minority Rohingya thousands of miles away?

Rohingya walk through a paddy field after crossing into Bangladesh in 2017. (Bernat Armangue/AP)


On Thursday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a unanimous ruling that ordered Myanmar to “take all measures within its power” to protect its ethnic minority Rohingya population from genocide. The case — against which Myanmar’s civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, argued unsuccessfully — ended up in front of the ICJ because of a tiny African country thousands of miles away. Here’s what you need to know about this story.

The Rohingya finally got their day in court. For most of them it was a first.

The Washington Post 

Christian Caryl  

Op-ed Editor/International

Dec. 14, 2019

Rohingya refugees watch a live feed of Aung San Suu Kyi's appearance at the UN's International Court of Justice in The Hague on Dec. 11. (MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP via Getty Images) 

An extraordinary event took place in the Netherlands this week: a hearing at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that is a first small step toward justice for one of the world’s longest-suffering minority groups.

Court hikes jail terms in infamous Rohingya graveyard case

Bangkok Post
 1 Nov 2019

Former army adviser and lieutenant-general Manas Kongpan arrives at the Criminal Court in Bangkok on Thursday to hear the Appeal Court's ruling in the Rohingya human trafficking case. His jail terms were extended from 27 to 82 years. (Photo by Varuth Hirunyatheb) 

The Appeal Court has significantly increased the prison terms for many defendants in the huge Rohingya trafficking case that followed the discovery of the graves of many illegal migrants in the far South four years ago.

Sentences were increased to around 80 years for defendants including an army lieutenant general and several local southern politicians.

56 Suspects appear in Sittwe Township Court over Alleged Connection with Arakan Army

Narinjara
By Song Zar Chei,
20 July 2019:

Fifty Six suspects’ detainees from six townships of Rakhine State were on Thursday arraigned in Sittwe Township court over an alleged engaging with Arakan Army (AA) that is fighting central Burmese government for more autonomy.

Among those suspects, (41) villagers are from different regions of Mrauk U, five villagers are from Kyauk Taw, three villagers are from Minbra and each villagers from Pauk Taw, Rathidaung and Ponna Gyunt townships respectively along with two monks.

Myanmar top court rejects Reuters journalists' appeal

B B C
23 April 2019

 Myanmar's top court has rejected an appeal by two Reuters journalists jailed on charges linked to their reports on the Rohingya.

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were sentenced to seven years last September in a case condemned around the world.

Myanmar court jails Rakhine leader for 20 years for treason

The Phnom Penh Post
AFP | Publication date 20 March 2019 |

A Myanmar court on Tuesday sentenced a prominent ethnic Rakhine leader to 20 years in jail for treason, a verdict likely to intensify anger amid fighting between the ethnic group and the army.

Security forces tried to calm hundreds of supporters outside the court in Rakhine state capital Sittwe as Aye Maung was escorted to a waiting police van following the verdict.

Myanmar military court to probe atrocities

THE AUSTRALIAN

Reuters

March 18, 2019

Myanmar's army has set up a military court to investigate its conduct during a crackdown on the Rohingya Muslim minority in 2017 that forced more than 730,000 to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh.

The court, comprising a major-general and two colonels, will investigate events in western Myanmar's Rakhine state in August 2017, the military said on Monday in a statement posted online.