Suu Kyi urges ICJ to drop Rohingya genocide case, warns it may undermine 'reconciliation' efforts

Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to drop the genocide case filed against her country, warning that any action could "undermine the ongoing reconciliation" efforts between the country's ethnic minorities.

In Myanmar's final submission at the conclusion of the three-day hearing in The Hague, the Nobel Peace laureate sought the dismissal of the urgent plea for provisional measures intended to prevent more sufferings for people in the northern Rakhine state, according to reports by The Myanmar Times.

She asked the court to help Myanmar "create unity out of diversity" by dropping the case.With the ICJ hearing drawing to a close, Suu Kyi also faced fresh criticism for defending the Arkan army against genocide allegation.

The leader said that neutralising the current military justice system in the country and replacing it with an external justice system is like "surgically removing a functioning body part".

The State Counsellor expressed confidence that Myanmar's government-mandated Independent Commission of Inquiry will deliver justice once its final report is completed. She added that the commission's report would be submitted soon.

This came after lawyers for The Gambia, earlier on Thursday, rebutted Myanmar's argument against the genocide case filed at the UN's top court and renewed its call for the court to issue "provisional measures" to prevent further abuses against Muslims in Rakhine State.

The Gambia filed the lawsuit against Myanmar at the ICJ on November 11 for violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention. The lawsuit seeks to ensure Myanmar's responsibility as a state for genocide committed against Muslims in northern Rakhine.

Most Myanmar people consider northern Rakhine Muslims illegal immigrants from Bangladesh although they have lived in the state for generations.

Unconvinced by Suu Kyi's statement that "appropriate action will also be taken against civilian offenders in line with due process", Paul Reichler, one of the lawyers acting for The Gambia, said that the country's justice system cannot be trusted as it is under "military control".

The lawyers acting for The Gambia also cited the sanctions imposed on Tuesday by the US Treasury Department against four top Myanmar military officials, including Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

The Gambia has asked the court for "emergency measures" to ensure there are no further "genocidal activities" targeting the Rohingya, no destruction of evidence, and that Myanmar co-operates with UN investigators.

The presiding judge said the court's decision would be handed down "as soon as possible". That is widely expected to be in January.

Meanwhile, the European Union, following this case, has began considering a withdrawal of the GSP, granted to Myanmar in 2013, that privileges grant South Asian country with duty-free trade with the bloc, which mainly consists of garments.

( With inputs from ANI )