Aung San Suu Kyi defends Myanmar at the ICJ in The Hague
Unless she distances herself from the army, her global reputation may be ruinedDec 8th 2019SHE DID not have to do it. Indeed, when Aung San Suu Kyi announced that she would personally be defending Myanmar against accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague this week, it was an enormous shock. Myanmar has steadfastly ignored United Nations reports alleging that since 2017 its army has raped, murdered and tortured Rohingyas, members of a Muslim minority, driving more than 740,000 to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh. States party to cases brought before the ICJ must nominate an agent, but this role is usually filled by attorneys-general or ministers of justice.It is true that Myanmar could not simply shrug off the allegations of genocide brought to the ICJ by the Gambia on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation, a body of 57 countries. Myanmar is a member of the UN and the ICJ is the UN’s highest court. Technically, Ms Suu Kyi, “state counsellor” and de facto leader of Myanmar, is going in her capacity as foreign minister. But the world will recall her as the heroine who won the Nobel peace prize in 1991 in recognition of her dogged resistance to a military junta, and wonder why she is now lending her prestige and charisma to the generals’ cause.Choose us for news analysis that respects your time and intelligenceSubscribe to The EconomistWe filter out the noise of the daily news cycle and analyse the trends that matterWe give you rigorous, deeply researched and fact-checked journalism. That’s why Americans named us their most trusted news source in 2017Available wherever you are—in print, digital and, uniquely, in audio, fully narrated by professional broadcastersThis website adheres to all nine of NewsGuard‘s standards of credibility and transparency.ORContinue reading this articleRegister with an email address