COX’S BAZAR, Jan 12 — Hope is a fragile but persistent force in Bangladesh’s sprawling Rohingya camps of Cox’s Bazar, where more than a million refugees forced to flee...
In grim camps, Rohingya hope UN genocide hearing can bring justice to finally hold Myanmar accountable A Rohingya child cries as he stands near the Thyangkhali refugee camp at Cox’s Bazar in this file picture dated November 29, 2017.
— AFP pic Unlock 4%* + 10%* p.a. promo rate for 3 months and enjoy FREE RM10 & when you sign up using code VERSAMM10 with min. cash of RM100 today! T&Cs apply.COX’S BAZAR, Jan 12 — Hope is a fragile but persistent force in Bangladesh’s sprawling Rohingya camps of Cox’s Bazar, where more than a million refugees forced to flee Myanmar live in squalid conditions. In rows of bamboo shelters and muddy lanes, refugees who escaped Myanmar nearly a decade ago await developments more than 8,000 kilometres away at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, where a genocide case against Myanmar opens on Monday. “We want justice and peace,” said Janifa Begum, 37, a mother of two. “Our women lost their dignity when the military junta launched the eviction. They burned villages, killed men, and women became victims of widespread violence.” The top UN court on Monday will hear a case brought by The Gambia, which accuses Myanmar of breaching the 1948 Genocide Convention during a brutal crackdown on the Rohingya in 2017. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims fled the bloodshed and crossed the border into Bangladesh. Myanmar’s ruling junta denies the allegations. “My house was gutted,” Begum told AFP. “I fled with my husband and two brothers-in-law with nothing — no food, no belongings. I later heard that they had grabbed my land.”For many in the camps, the hearings are a rare acknowledgement of long ignored suffering. “I hope the ICJ will bring some solace to the deep wounds we are still carrying,” said Mohammad Sayed Ullah, 33, a former teacher and now a member of the United Council of Rohingya, a refugee organisation. While the ICJ has no way to enforce any judgment it might make, Ullah spoke quietly but firmly about accountability, hoping the UN case may, someday, bring them real change. “The perpetrators must be held accountable and punished,” he said. “The sooner and fairer the trial is, the better the outcome will be... then the repatriation process may begin.”It took him more than two weeks to reach Bangladesh, trekking through jungles and swamps, a journey marked by fear and loss. “There were four of us in the family, and my elderly mother suffered the most,” he said. “On our way to Bangladesh, we saw villages on fire. I saw my neighbouring village soaked in blood. “Dozens of people took shelter in one place when the junta started firing. The soldiers laid siege to the area, butchered the men, and tortured the women,” Ullah added.Maung Thein Myint, a Rohingya human rights activist, said the ICJ case carries immense symbolic weight. “My expectations from the ICJ hearings are rooted in lived suffering and long-denied truth,” he said. “I hope the court will clearly recognise that what was done to the Rohingya was genocide — systematic, state-led, and intended to erase our existence.” While acknowledging the court’s limits, Myint believes a strong judgment could still make a difference. “Such recognition can restore dignity to victims, strengthen global accountability, and keep alive our hope for justice, protection, and a safe, voluntary, and dignified return home.” In Cox’s Bazar, justice remains distant. But for the Rohingya, the ICJ is a rare hope that their voices may be heard. “I want to see whether the suffering we endured is reflected during the hearing,” said Begum, hoping for a better for her baby daughter and toddler son.
S Bazar Rohingya Camps Myanmar Genocide Case International Court Of Justice Rohingya Refugee Crisis 1948 Genocide Convention United Council Of Rohingya
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Polls open in second phase of Myanmar junta-run election: AFPIssues like unmaintained infrastructure and unintended ridicule by adults can have a significant impact on a student's physical and emotional safety.
Read more »
Myanmar Central Bank Warns Against Defacing BanknotesThe Central Bank of Myanmar issued a warning against defacing banknotes, citing potential criminal charges under existing laws. The bank outlined specific offenses related to writing on, damaging, or altering banknotes with the intent to incite unrest or damage the currency's usability. Penalties include imprisonment and fines.
Read more »
Aung San Suu Kyi's Shadow Looms Over Myanmar Elections Despite ImprisonmentEven while imprisoned, Aung San Suu Kyi's influence continues to be significant in Myanmar, overshadowing the junta's efforts to hold elections that are seen as a move away from democracy. Despite her absence and the tarnishing of her reputation due to the Rohingya crisis, she remains a symbol for democracy to her supporters.
Read more »
Landmark Myanmar Rohingya genocide case to open at UN's top court'This category is stacked. I look up to all of you,' Chalamet said to his fellow nominees.
Read more »
Myanmar Pro-Military Party Claims Victory in Election Criticized as a Ploy to Entrench Junta RuleMyanmar's main pro-military party claims victory in a parliamentary seat once held by Aung San Suu Kyi, as critics deride the junta-run election as a bid to entrench military rule. The election is widely seen as a sham designed to legitimize the military's grip on power after the 2021 coup.
Read more »
‘Targeted destruction’ in Myanmar: Rohingya genocide claims take centre stage at ICJ hearingsTHE HAGUE, Jan 12 — Myanmar deliberately targeted the Rohingya minority with “horrific violence” in a bid to destroy the community, Gambia’s justice minister told the...
Read more »