Editorial: Myanmar gov’t must take steps to protect the Rohingya

January 27 , 2020

More than 910,000 Rohingya people, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority in Myanmar, have fled to neighboring Bangladesh to escape widespread persecution. Given that the Rohingya population was estimated at one million, that means nearly all have become refugees, and Komeito is calling on the Myanmar government to redress their plight.

On January 23, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered the Myanmar government to prevent acts of genocide against Rohingya Muslims while the court was hearing a case filed by the Republic of Gambia, which is asserting that Myanmar was in violation of the Genocide Convention.

While Myanmar is not legally bound to obey the ICJ order, the admission from State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, who represented her government, that some actions of the Myanmar military were indeed excessive, is seen as a small step forward. Meanwhile, the Independent Commission of Enquiry established by the Myanmar government has recommended that those members of the armed forces who were involved in the killing of Rohingya civilians should be punished—a point that Komeito Chief Representative Natsuo Yamaguchi requested during his meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi when he visited the country in December 2019.