Demonstrations outside U.N.'s World Court as Myanmar genocide case under way

Record ID: 1447626

  • Title: Demonstrations outside U.N.'s World Court as Myanmar genocide case under way
  • Date: 11th December 2019
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUNG SAN SUU KYI SUPPORTER, HLA SOEWAI, SAYING: "She stands for justice, she stands for righteous views. You know Aung San Suu Kyi will never lie, not for her sake, not for her country's sake, she will never lie. This we believe in. So what about she presented her views today, inside the court, this will be true, because she never lied." DEMONSTRATORS HOLDING SIGNS READING (English): "WE STAND WITH AUNG SAN SUU KYI" DEMONSTRATOR RAISING FIST AND SHOUTING
  • Embargoed: 25th December 2019 14:09
  • Keywords: Aung San Suu Kyi Gambia ICJ International Court of Justice Myanmar Rohingya U.N. World Court court genocide minority opponents supporters
  • Location: THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS
  • City: THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS
  • Country: Netherlands
  • Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
  • Reuters ID: LVA004B9J8E2V
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Two separate groups of demonstrators were shouting slogans and waving posters outside the International Court of Justice in The Hague on Wednesday (December 11), with some supporting Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi and others calling her "Betrayer of the world".
    The Nobel Peace laureate was speaking at a hearing at the World Court and challenged allegations in a lawsuit brought by Gambia last month accusing Myanmar of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention.
    Around 250 Suu Kyi supporters gathered outside the Peace Palace in The Hague, where they held photos of their leader and chanted: "We stand with you, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi".
    One of them, Aung Tin Thein, who had come from Yangon, said it was "the least (they) could do" to be with Suu Kyi as she was addressing the U.N. judges.
    The other group of demonstrators was calling for justice for Rohingya people. "What do we want? Justice!" they shout in loudspeakers.
    More than 730,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar to Bangladesh after the military launched its crackdown. United Nations investigators have said 10,000 people may have been killed.
    Myanmar has previously denied almost all allegations made by refugees against its troops, including of mass rape, killings and arson, and promised to punish any soldiers involved in what it says were isolated cases of wrongdoing.
    ICJ judges this week are hearing the first phase of the case: Gambia's request for "provisional measures" - the equivalent of a restraining order against Myanmar to protect the Rohingya population until the case is heard in full.
    The tribunal has no enforcement powers, but its rulings are final and carry significant international weight.
    (Production Esther Verkaik, Hortense de Roffignac)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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