Aung Sang Suu Kyi, this name in itself rings a bell of power of the powerless and will of the weak. If you’ve heard her name, you can recall looking up to her as an inspiration, role model and most of all, an amazing woman. Well, those perceptions are about to change because this icon took a downhill from being a noble peace prize winner to ending up at a genocide trial. Once seen as the epicentre of human rights protection, this Myanmar democracy icon is facing a coup today for a reason very contradictory to what she’s known for, genocides.
Aung Sang Suu Kyi was known as an example of the power of the powerless because of her fearless stand against the brutal army generals that ruled Myanmar for decades and acted as a strong principled activist to bring democracy to Myanmar, ending up in house arrest for nearly 2 decades in the city of Yangon by the ruthless military dictatorship. For her efforts, she was recognised as the peace icon by being awarded the Nobel peace prize in 1991. It is really hard to wrap our head around the fact that she is charged for genocide in her very own country while serving as the civilian leader. Not only that, she has been constantly standing in support for the military that put her away and is justifying their actions to the world. It’s astounding how fast people change.
The actual allegation wraps around the probation that United Nations experts claim Myanmar’s army acted with genocidal intent against the Muslim community at Rohingya district of Myanmar. This came in after the troops forced about 7,40,000 Rohingyas out on the streets, with each of them having a brutal story of torture, murder or rape. They are still trapped inside camps at Bangladesh. So much for human rights!
With a number as high as 7,40,000, you may think the International Court of Justice would’ve moved the country. Well, the facts and restrictions play a different game. But before that, note how it actually knocked doors of the International Court of Justice. Residents from a beautiful, tiny little West African Muslim country, the Gambia, decided to speak up against the incidents of Myanmar and brought the case against Myanmar and its military’s genocidal intent at the United Nation’s top court, on behalf of a dozen other Muslim countries. Drawing in support from protestors all across the globe, they asked the court for an immediate ruling on the case such that further harm in the otherwise Buddhist majoritarian country of Myanmar can be protected.
Myanmar, still under military authoritarian rule, denied any such allegations by claiming only the terrorists in the region of Rohingya were cleared out, insisting on the fact that people in Rohingya, which is a Muslim populous region, are mostly illegal immigrants.
What was more disturbing for the world to witness was the once peace icon, now defending the military army of Myanmar, backing up their claims of non-genocidal intent and establishment of denial against the case registered with the International Court of Justice. Some people think that she might just be doing her duty as the civilian leader of the country by defending it, despite not having constitutional control over the country. It is further believed that since most people in Buddhist majoritarian country Myanmar apparently despise the Rohingya’s Muslim community, being the face of patriotic defence against so much international criticism for the country might give her the desired edge in the eyes of its people ahead of the next general election.
However, while representing in the court, she also admitted that “it cannot be ruled out that disproportionate force was used by the members of the Defence Services in the region in the question in some cases, in disregard of the international humanitarian law. But she made an outright claim that any violence that broke out in the Rohingya region was caused by armed conflicts in Rakhine state, which was initiated by the Rohingya militants. Thus, she denied all accusations of genocidal intent on the part of the military authorities, claiming that the state that actively investigates, prosecutes and punishes soldiers and officers who are accused of wrongdoing cannot on its part, be involved in any such intent of genocide.
While the court case drags and the accusations are made and denied, the people of Rohingya continue to suffer and in the light of facts, justice for the people of Rohingya cannot be expected in the foreseeable future. It is so because the International Court of Justice has no way of enforcing a ruling against the Military ruled Myanmar, and neither is there any international police force that can protect the Rohingya from further abuse. There’s also no authority to put Aung Sang Suu Kyi or any other general for that matter, on arrest or trial.
What lies in the authority of the United Nation’s top court, the International court of justice is to put sanctions against Myanmar, which is considered not to be a very wise call since the economy is only just starting to grow after the military rule and the sanctions would lead to long term damages. Not just that, this might also open doors to other legal cases knocking on behalf of the Rohingya, implying Aung Sang Suu Kyi would have to defend herself, the Nobel peace prize winner, against one of the worst crimes imaginable in the world, for the years to come.
While people knew her for freedom, justice and equality, she has stained her name in the dirt of genocide, no matter the reason, and has led down the international community and every little child that looked up to her as an inspiration. The people of Rohingya would still strive for obtaining justice and are still under threat in the country where, once known as the beacon of humanity, serves as the Civilian officer. The world and its many ironies.
Aung Sang Suu Kyi, this name in itself rings a bell of power of the powerless and will of the weak. If you’ve heard her name, you can recall looking up to her as an inspiration, role model and most of all, an amazing woman. Well, those perceptions are about to change because this icon took a downhill from being a noble peace prize winner to ending up at a genocide trial. Once seen as the epicentre of human rights protection, this Myanmar democracy icon is facing a coup today for a reason very contradictory to what she’s known for, genocides.
Aung Sang Suu Kyi was known as an example of the power of the powerless because of her fearless stand against the brutal army generals that ruled Myanmar for decades and acted as a strong principled activist to bring democracy to Myanmar, ending up in house arrest for nearly 2 decades in the city of Yangon by the ruthless military dictatorship. For her efforts, she was recognised as the peace icon by being awarded the Nobel peace prize in 1991. It is really hard to wrap our head around the fact that she is charged for genocide in her very own country while serving as the civilian leader. Not only that, she has been constantly standing in support for the military that put her away and is justifying their actions to the world. It’s astounding how fast people change.
The actual allegation wraps around the probation that United Nations experts claim Myanmar’s army acted with genocidal intent against the Muslim community at Rohingya district of Myanmar. This came in after the troops forced about 7,40,000 Rohingyas out on the streets, with each of them having a brutal story of torture, murder or rape. They are still trapped inside camps at Bangladesh. So much for human rights!
With a number as high as 7,40,000, you may think the International Court of Justice would’ve moved the country. Well, the facts and restrictions play a different game. But before that, note how it actually knocked doors of the International Court of Justice. Residents from a beautiful, tiny little West African Muslim country, the Gambia, decided to speak up against the incidents of Myanmar and brought the case against Myanmar and its military’s genocidal intent at the United Nation’s top court, on behalf of a dozen other Muslim countries. Drawing in support from protestors all across the globe, they asked the court for an immediate ruling on the case such that further harm in the otherwise Buddhist majoritarian country of Myanmar can be protected.
Myanmar, still under military authoritarian rule, denied any such allegations by claiming only the terrorists in the region of Rohingya were cleared out, insisting on the fact that people in Rohingya, which is a Muslim populous region, are mostly illegal immigrants.
What was more disturbing for the world to witness was the once peace icon, now defending the military army of Myanmar, backing up their claims of non-genocidal intent and establishment of denial against the case registered with the International Court of Justice. Some people think that she might just be doing her duty as the civilian leader of the country by defending it, despite not having constitutional control over the country. It is further believed that since most people in Buddhist majoritarian country Myanmar apparently despise the Rohingya’s Muslim community, being the face of patriotic defence against so much international criticism for the country might give her the desired edge in the eyes of its people ahead of the next general election.
However, while representing in the court, she also admitted that “it cannot be ruled out that disproportionate force was used by the members of the Defence Services in the region in the question in some cases, in disregard of the international humanitarian law. But she made an outright claim that any violence that broke out in the Rohingya region was caused by armed conflicts in Rakhine state, which was initiated by the Rohingya militants. Thus, she denied all accusations of genocidal intent on the part of the military authorities, claiming that the state that actively investigates, prosecutes and punishes soldiers and officers who are accused of wrongdoing cannot on its part, be involved in any such intent of genocide.
While the court case drags and the accusations are made and denied, the people of Rohingya continue to suffer and in the light of facts, justice for the people of Rohingya cannot be expected in the foreseeable future. It is so because the International Court of Justice has no way of enforcing a ruling against the Military ruled Myanmar, and neither is there any international police force that can protect the Rohingya from further abuse. There’s also no authority to put Aung Sang Suu Kyi or any other general for that matter, on arrest or trial.
What lies in the authority of the United Nation’s top court, the International court of justice is to put sanctions against Myanmar, which is considered not to be a very wise call since the economy is only just starting to grow after the military rule and the sanctions would lead to long term damages. Not just that, this might also open doors to other legal cases knocking on behalf of the Rohingya, implying Aung Sang Suu Kyi would have to defend herself, the Nobel peace prize winner, against one of the worst crimes imaginable in the world, for the years to come.
While people knew her for freedom, justice and equality, she has stained her name in the dirt of genocide, no matter the reason, and has led down the international community and every little child that looked up to her as an inspiration. The people of Rohingya would still strive for obtaining justice and are still under threat in the country where, once known as the beacon of humanity, serves as the Civilian officer. The world and its many ironies.
