On Saturday, November 16, 2019, Sri Lankans elected Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a former secretary of defence and brother of two-time former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, as their new president in an election that has seen rising religious tensions take centre stage. Gotabaya's election marked a return to majoritarian politics in the predominantly Buddhist South Asian island nation and left Sri Lanka's myriad minorities, especially the Muslims who constitute roughly 10 percent of the population, in a precarious position. Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa waves at his supporters as he leaves, after the presidential swearing-in ceremony in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka Nov 18, 2019 [Dinuka Liyanawatte
Gambia, on behalf of Rohingya Muslims, opens an international dispute with Myanmar in an effort to have the country’s leadership tried for genocide. Rohingya refugees from Myanmar after crossing into Bangladesh in September 2017. Credit...Adam Dean for The New York Times PARIS — An arsenal of international laws has failed to confront the impunity of Myanmar’s government and security forces for their deadly purge of the country’s Rohingya Muslim minority, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee a campaign of rape, arson and killing. But on Monday, Gambia filed a lawsuit accusing Myanmar of genocide, summoning the case before the United Nations’ highest court in an effort to open a legal path ag
WATCH THE ORAL ARGUMENTS HERE: http://webtv.un.org/live-now/watch/the-hague-icj-holds-hearings-in-the-case-the-gambia-v.-myanmar/5724217175001 INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA v. REPUBLIC OF THE UNION OF MYANMAR 11 November 2019 APPLICATION INSTITUTING PROCEEDINGS AND REQUEST FOR PROVISIONAL MEASURES To the Registrar of the International Court of Justice, The undersigned, being duly authorized by the Government of the Republic of The Gambia, states as follows: 1. In accordance with Articles 36(1) and 40 of the Statute of the Court and Article 38 of the Rules of Court, I have the honour to submit this Application instituting proceedings in the name of the Republi
