Thread by @singhp_p

‼️BIG NEWS‼️ The @CIJ_ICJ has UNANIMOUSLY ordered Myanmar to prevent genocide against the #Rohingya in Rakhine State, a breakthrough that could stop further atrocities against one of the world's most persecuted people.⚖️See @hrw's take: bit.ly/2NPMWgA + THREAD 🧵

As part of its genocide case against Myanmar, #Gambia 🇬🇲asked the court for a provisional measures order “as a matter of extreme urgency” to protect the 600K #Rohingya still in Myanmar that, according to a UN fact-finding body, “may face a greater threat of genocide than ever.”

The @CIJ_ICJ has also ordered Myanmar not to destroy evidence relating to the genocide case, important since @hrw found that #Myanmar’s has bulldozed over empty #Rohingya villages and destroyed evidence of grave crimes. bit.ly/38nIs8G

Myanmar has scrambled to head off criticism. Its national commission of inquiry released a report summary earlier this week, and while it concedes some abuses, here's @hrw's take on why it does not even come CLOSE to addressing the scale of atrocities bit.ly/2RhOaTI

So what happens now? The @CIJ_ICJ order is legally binding on the parties, and at last month’s hearing in The Hague, #AungSanSuuKyi heralded the court as “vital refuge of international justice.”

But enforcement is trickier and won’t happen overnight. The @CIJ_ICJ order raises the stakes for #Myanmar to comply, but sustained international pressure is key to see concrete results. Here’s a checklist ✅ of some of the options:

The #UNSecurityCouncil could be a big player. Under the @CIJ_ICJ's Statute, the order is automatically sent to the #UNSC via the UN Secretary General @antonioguterres.

In an ideal world, the #UNSC would follow up with a resolution telling Myanmar to lift restrictions on Rohingya’s freedom of movement, grant humanitarian access to Rakhine State, and allow Rohingya access to education, health care and livelihoods.

Sadly, the climate for human rights in the #UNSC is chilly, and China+ would be only too happy to ignore the ICJ’s order. The friendlier council members face an uphill battle to get the nine votes needed to force a formal discussion on the agenda, which is key to spur any action.

But there is another way to build pressure on the #UNSC: UN Secretary General @antonioguterres could use the order from the world court – another UN pillar – as a hook to bring Myanmar to the council’s attention under article 99 of the UN Charter.

In fact, @antonioguterres expressed his concern to the #UNSC on Myanmar in September 2017, when he wrote to the #UNSC urging the council to press for “full respect for human rights and international humanitarian law,” among other things.

Another good opportunity to 🌡️ raise the heat 🌡️ is the 43rd session of the UN Human Rights Council, which kicks off next month. The @UN_HRC could pass a resolution that presses #Myanmar to comply with the @CIJ_ICJ’s order, and urges the #UNSC to follow up. @EU_UNGeneva

And if #Myanmar ignores the order, Gambia could bring Myanmar’s non-compliance to the #UNSC under article 94 of the UN Charter - especially since Myanmar now has to regularly report to the @CIJ_ICJ on its implementation of the order.

The bottom line: the 600K Rohingya in Rakhine State may be spared further abuses because of the @CIJ_ICJ’s order. And today has shown that Myanmar can’t hide behind its powerful friends to escape its responsibilities under the #GenocideConvention. #Justice4Rohingya