Morning after #AungSanSuuKyi defends #Myanmar & rejects accusations of #genocide against #Rohingyas in the #Hague@CIJ_ICJ, local media front pages plastered pic of her moment with headlines quoting her on "no genocide", don't aggravate the #Rakhine situation
@Gambia_MOJ lawyer dissects #Myanmar’s arguments on final day of the #Hague hearing saying Myanmar continues to make "hollow promises" & maintains "racist myth" that #Rohingyas as a group doesn't exist citing how #AungSanSuuKyi didn't even utter the word. She sat expressionless
@Gambia_MOJ highlights how #Myanmar#AungSanSuuKyi didn't explain/deny various points cited like organized nature of #Military's destruction, enormity of sexual violence against women during #Rakhine clearance operation shows country either "admits or fails to deny" #genocide
@Gambia_MOJ also showed judges some of the horrific pictures of #Rohingyas allegedly murdered in #Rakhine by #Myanmar#Military & this was also showed on the big screens in #Yangon as the #Hague hearing is beamed live as citizens looked on
@Gambia_MOJ lawyer says "hopes of the #Gambia & the #Rohingyas rests entirely in you". The "eyes of the world" from individuals to #UN bodies and countries will be on @CIJ_ICJ the #Hague regarding #genocide case against #Myanmar where Gambia's calling for provisional measures
While #AungSanSuuKyi is rejecting #genocide accusations in the #Hague@CIJ_ICJ, #Rohingyas who fled since 2017, living in No Man's Land between Bangladesh & #Myanmar still stuck as they're not considered refugees as they're not in Bangladesh camps with more than 700,000 others
As #AungSanSuuKyi & #Myanmar make closing statements in the #Hague where @Gambia_MOJ has accused the nation of #genocide against the #Rohingyas, this is happening in No Man's Land, a strip of land between #Bangladesh & Myanmar where at least 5,000 Rohingyas live (vid sent to me)
Final day at the #Hague@CIJ_ICJ as #Myanmar makes closing statements. Myanmar gets last word as @Gambia_MOJ had spoken 1st earlier in the day. Both nations have 1.5 hrs each to rebut each other's remarks. The 17 judges (including 2 ad hoc by the 2 nations) will deliberate after
#Myanmar lawyer William Schabas at the #Hague@CIJ_ICJ says picture of #Myanmar#military deployed to #rakhine in 2017 cited by @Gambia_MOJ and displayed before thw judges shows "selective approach to facts" regarding Rakhine as rotation in security deployment is not unusual
#Myanmar lawyer Schabas at the #Hague points out to @CIJ_ICJ judges that many of the accusations levelled at Myanmar regarding #Genocide such as discriminatory citizenship practices & lack of prosecution for perpetrators not unique to Myanmar and happens in many other countries
#Myanmar lawyer Schabas addresses criticisms of how he could have previously said Myanmar may have committed #genocide yet defends nation now. But he said he never said that. Questioned why his comments/thoughts on genocide mattered as facts are what matters before @CIJ_ICJ
#Myanmar#AungSanSuuKyi speaks as she wraps up the statements for the country rejecting @Gambia_MOJ accusations of #genocide. Again rehashing/updating @CIJ_ICJ about ongoing projects in #Rakhine like social harmony initiatives like a football match
#Myanmar#AungSanSuuKyi spoke for just a little over 5 minutes before concluding by asking @CIJ_ICJ to remove the case of #genocide filed by @Gambia_MOJ & "pray the decision you make with wisdom & vision of justice that help us to create unity out of diversity"
#Myanmar#AungSanSuuKyi told the #Hague@CIJ_ICJ judges that "steps that generate suspicion, sow doubts or create resentment between communities who have just begun to build a fragile foundation of trust could undermine reconciliation"
The #Hague@CIJ_ICJ hearing on @Gambia_MOJ case against #Myanmar for alleged #genocide against the #Rohingyas has concluded after 3 days. Judges will deliberate & will determine date to publicly announce its decision later. Myanmar has unequivocally rejected #genocide accusations
In the #Thai invite letter to @ASEAN foreign ministers, which I've also seen, @MFAThai minister Don says the "meeting is intended to be an informal dialogue that could be part of the initial steps of the #Myanmar peace process" #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
Victims buried in a mass grave after #Myanmar#military launched air strikes on a #Kachin Independence Organization #KIO anniversary celebration Oct 23. At least 80 people said to be killed, 100s more injured. Fatalities may rise over hindered medical aid #whatshappeninginmyanmar
Despite atrocities committed, #Myanmar#military remains defiant by calling air strikes & killings of civilians in #Hpakant#Kachin "fabricated" & "rumours". They've now cited own "sources" saying only ethnic #Kachin Independence Army #KIA personnel & resistance fighters killed
#Myanmar#military again takes issue with foreign embassy/UN statements condemning air attacks, insisting comments made "without proper verification" & can be seen as "intentional dissemination of rumours" & "meddling of the internal affairs" of Myanmar. #WhatsHappeninglnMyanmar
#Myanmar#military's air attacks on #Hpakant#Kachin during a Kachin Independence Organization #KIO concert Oct 23 killed at least 80 people & 100s more injured. #KIA says the army carried out a "mass killing" which is "1 of the most cruel & deplorable action" against civilians.
#Myanmar's #ethnic armed group #KIA/#Kachin Independence Organization #KIO adds that the #military regime's latest attack only "encourages stronger revolution against" the Myanmar army. KIA has been clashing with the military for over 60 years. #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
Some prominent singers/artists said to have been killed/injured in #Myanmar#military air attacks aimed at #Hpakant, Kachin. #Kachin Independence Army has upped its clashes with military since Feb 2021 #coup. #KIA had rejected army's offer of peace talks #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
Videos of aftermath of #Myanmar#military air strikes on #Hpakant#Kachin sent to me for use. Increasingly, Myanmar military has been/will be using air attacks to target #ethnic territories controlled by ethnic armed groups/civilian resistance forces #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
🧵In less than 2 months, #Myanmar & #Russia met at least 3 times via high-level physical visits. #Military chief now making 2nd trip to Russia with his last one only in mid-July. Attending Eastern Economic Forum, he'll likely engage Russian defence again #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
#Russia's Vladivostok Eastern Economic Forum's aimed at attracting investments into Russia. Unclear if Russian President Putin will attend. Since #Moscow attacked #Ukraine 5 months ago, nations like #US & #EU have introduced/expanded sanctions on Russia #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
But in latest rebuttal to @ASEAN, #Myanmar#military remains obstinate & defiant as it objected to #ASEAN's accusation that military has shown "lack of progress" in implementing 5-point plan to resolve crisis. Military staged #coup on Feb 1, 2021. 2/5 #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
#Myanmar#military in turn accuses @ASEAN of making "1-sided assessment" of its 5-point consensus implementation efforts & that bloc was not appraising results in an "objective and fair manner based on the factual updates and situations on the ground" 3/5 #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar