UN rights expert welcomes ICJ ruling on Myanmar to protect Rohingyas

UN human rights expert Yanghee Lee has welcomed the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) ruling that Myanmar must protect the Rohingya minority but emphasised that allegations of crimes against the community remain to be addressed, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said in a statement on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, the ICJ ruled that Myanmar must take all necessary steps to prevent acts of genocide against the Rohingyas and ensure the preservation of evidence related to the claim of genocide against them.

"The UN expert observed that significant steps have been taken toward international justice and accountability in the last three years, but more needs to be done in order to realize it for all the people of Myanmar," the release said.

"She welcomed the decision today of the International Court of Justice that ordered preliminary measures in relation to Myanmar's alleged violation of the Genocide Convention," it added.

Lee, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, said that she is hopeful the Myanmar government will proceed with transition to democracy and face up to its responsibilities, obligations and duties.

Lee also called on the international community to keep the evidence of ongoing crimes against humanity in Myanmar and not proceed with business as usual.

In August, the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar found that the country's military used domestic and international businesses to carry out human rights violations against ethnic groups.

According to the UN, about 745,000 Rohingyas fled into Bangladesh since the beginning of Myanmar's large-scale security forces campaign in 2017 in Rakhine state.

In 2018, the fact-finding mission on issued a report, accusing the Myanmar's leadership of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.