Karim Khan KC, the prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC), has made a significant step forward in the pursuit of justice for Myanmar. He has submitted a request for an arrest warrant to be issued against Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the acting president and military commander-in-chief of Myanmar, for crimes against humanity.
This momentous move is in response to the alleged persecution and deportation of the Rohingya people. It marks the first time the ICC has taken such action relating to Myanmar, signifying a critical milestone on the country’s path towards justice.
While the final decision regarding the arrest warrant is up to the three-member Pre-Trial Chamber, Khan has expressed his belief that there are valid reasons to suspect Min Aung Hlaing of criminal responsibility for the alleged crimes.
This comes after a five-year investigation into the “Rohingya genocide,” a term used to describe the mass murder, mass rape, and destruction of entire villages that resulted in about 750,000 Rohingya people fleeing from Rakhine State in western Myanmar to Bangladesh in 2016 and 2017. This campaign, driven by extreme nationalism, shocked the world and led to at least 10,000 deaths.
In addition to this, Khan announced that more arrest warrants against Myanmar’s leaders would be requested soon. He stated that it would serve as a reminder that the Rohingya have not been forgotten and, like all people globally, are entitled to legal protection.
Despite the positive news, the situation remains dire for the approximately one million Rohingya people still living in Bangladesh. They continue to live in harsh and dangerous conditions, facing food shortages, illness, violence from armed groups, and restrictions from working or receiving formal education.
The arrest warrant request is a critical step, but it’s clear that the ICC can’t deliver complete justice alone. The Rohingya people require additional international efforts to bring peace to Rakhine State so they can return home safely. They also need other countries to offer them a proper scale resettlement.
This week’s arrest warrant request doesn’t cover current crimes and is limited to a four-month period in late 2017. However, many are urging for more comprehensive arrest warrants that include crimes committed after the 2021 coup, during which the junta initiated a campaign of terror, including indiscriminate attacks on civilian populations.
This progress in international justice could put pressure on the junta’s methods against the people’s revolution and further damage Min Aung Hlaing’s international standing. It also strengthens the case for further sanctions on the junta and could add momentum to separate cases at the International Court of Justice.
Despite some perceived double standards from the U.S., many hope that Khan’s announcement is a sign that the ICC is applying the law without fear or favor. The ICC’s work is crucial in assuring the embattled people of Myanmar that the world is not blind to the daily horrors they face.
