Myanmar's continues genocidal practices against Rohingya despite ICJ order

The Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) released a detailed report on Wednesday, exposing ongoing systematic persecution of the Rohingya ethnic group in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The report comes five years after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) directed Myanmar to take measures to prevent genocide against the Rohingya population.

Titled 'The Genocide Never Stopped – Five Years on From the World Court’s Order to Protect the Rohingya,' the report outlines widespread violations by Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army. It highlights that approximately 145,000 Rohingya remain confined in central Rakhine State under what BROUK describes as a 'policy of mass internment.' Alarmingly, nearly half of those detained are women and children.
Tun Khin, President of BROUK, criticized the international community’s failure to address the crisis effectively, stating: “Warnings have gone unheeded, refugees in Bangladesh remain unsupported, court orders have not been enforced, and emerging signs of famine are being ignored.”
The report also draws attention to the severe risks faced by Rohingya women and girls, documenting widespread sexual violence, including rape, extortion, and forced transfers to military compounds. Additionally, the military’s restrictions on humanitarian aid and trade have created dire conditions in Arakan Army-controlled areas, leaving residents with limited access to food, healthcare, and other essentials.
BROUK’s findings emphasize Myanmar’s ongoing disregard for the ICJ’s 2020 provisional measures. These measures required Myanmar to prevent genocidal acts, prohibit military involvement in such crimes, preserve evidence of atrocities, and regularly report on compliance. Despite this, the report notes continued violations and lack of accountability.
International efforts to address the crisis have seen some developments. In November 2024, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) filed an arrest warrant application against Myanmar’s military chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, for alleged crimes against humanity targeting the Rohingya.
BROUK urged the British government, as the UN Security Council’s lead on Myanmar, to convene a meeting addressing Myanmar’s non-compliance with ICJ orders. The organization stressed the urgency of concrete measures to protect the Rohingya and hold perpetrators accountable for ongoing atrocities.
The Rohingya crisis underscores Myanmar’s broader turmoil following the February 2021 military coup. According to the United Nations, over 3 million people have been displaced internally, and approximately 18.6 million are in urgent need of humanitarian aid. Amid this upheaval, the military has escalated its repression while clashing with resistance groups across the country.