By LALNUNA / KHONUMTHUNG NEWS
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Leaders of the Chin National Front (CNF) have been cautious in their response to Burma being brought before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) by Gambia, charged with genocide.
Representing the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Gambia filed the case on November 10, with hearings set to be held from December 10-12 in The Hague, Netherlands. State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, in her capacity as foreign minister, will head the delegation defending Burma against the charges.
“We can’t say whether this case is right or wrong, whether we support it or not. What I think is that the government should not avoid this case. The government should take full responsibility and they need to resolve this case,” Dr. Shui Khur, assistant general secretary 1 of the CNF, told Khonumthung News.
He pointed out that since Burma is signatory to the genocide convention, it is their duty to appear before an international court and face the charges.
“It is a positive sign that the Burmese government is preparing to resolve the case at the ICJ with accountability and responsibility,” Dr. Shui Khur said.
Any outcome, he added, would depend on “concrete data” provided during the hearing.
The CNF is one of 10 ethnic armed groups signatory to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement with the government and military, and involved in the government-led peace process.
The general secretary of the political party the Chin National League for Democracy told Khonumthung News that he would not yet take a side on the charges brought before Burma in the ICJ, but trusted the court’s ruling and would “stand with justice.”
“I support the action of the ICJ… The UN’s court is much better than courts in Burma,” general secretary Salai Cieu Bik Thawng said. “The plaintiff country will bring their information and data, and the defendant country will have to resolve it with concrete data and information. Finally, the ICJ will decide whether it is a case of genocide or not.”
The many ethnic armed organizations across Burma have released statements showing differing stances on the upcoming international court case. The 10 NCA signatories said this week in a joint statement that they expected Burma to uphold international treaties in order to build peace and improve their image globally.
Members of the Northern Alliance of ethnic armed groups said they supported Burma being brought to the ICJ for war crimes. However the United Wa State Army and the Mongla-based National Democratic Alliance Army said they stood with the Burmese state in facing down the charges.