Myanmar junta hails ICJ genocide case defence as ‘national duty’

Mizzima

Myanmar’s junta praised its legal team for defending the country against genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), portraying the case as a matter of national dignity and unity, state media reported on 9 February.

At a ceremony in Naypyidaw on 8 February, junta chief and Acting President Min Aung Hlaing hosted a dinner for officials involved in Myanmar’s defence at the ICJ. The Gambia brought the case before the ICJ, accusing Myanmar of breaching the Genocide Convention over its treatment of the Rohingya minority.

According to the Global New Light of Myanmar, Min Aung Hlaing said the proceedings were not directed at individuals but at the state itself, framing the case as an attack on Myanmar’s sovereignty and national honour. He claimed the delegation had presented “clear and concrete evidence” refuting what he described as a “politically fabricated label” linked to unrest in northern Rakhine State.

The case was filed in 2019 and entered its merits phase in January 2026 after more than six years of proceedings. Although the case was filed before the February 2021 coup, the current military rulers opted to continue participating in the case despite the change in government. The junta argued that withdrawal would have allowed the court to proceed without Myanmar’s input.

Min Aung Hlaing said the decision was taken amid the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide resistance to military rule, warning that non-participation could have resulted in long-term damage to the country’s international standing.

The Myanmar junta denies committing genocide against the Rohingya. UN investigators, however, detailed how a brutal military crackdown on the Rohingya in 2017 resulted in the flight of more than 700,000 to neighbouring Bangladesh, describing it as having “genocidal intent.”

Human rights groups and the National Unity Government (NUG) have rejected the junta’s claim to represent Myanmar at international forums, arguing that the military lacks legitimacy.

The ICJ has yet to rule on the merits of the case. Provisional measures ordered in 2020, requiring Myanmar to prevent acts of genocide and preserve evidence, remain in force.