28-11-2024 (THE HAGUE) The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor has moved to secure an arrest warrant for Myanmar’s military leader Min Aung Hlaing, citing alleged crimes against humanity in the persecution of Rohingya Muslims.
The 68-year-old junta chief faces accusations of orchestrating widespread atrocities during the 2017 military offensive that forced more than 730,000 Rohingya to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh. The campaign, launched whilst Min Aung Hlaing served as armed forces commander, drew global condemnation after United Nations investigators uncovered evidence of systematic violence including mass killings, sexual assault, and the wholesale destruction of villages in Myanmar’s western Rakhine state.
The military’s actions, which Myanmar authorities claimed were legitimate counter-terrorism operations following militant attacks on security posts, have been characterised by UN experts as “ethnic cleansing”. Security forces, alongside local Buddhist villagers, allegedly razed hundreds of Rohingya settlements to the ground.
The situation has grown more complex since Min Aung Hlaing led a military coup in February 2021, deposing the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The ensuing crackdown on pro-democracy protesters has spiralled into a widespread civil conflict, with armed resistance groups joining forces with ethnic minority armies to challenge military rule.
Recent violence has continued to impact the Rohingya community, who remain caught between warring factions. In August, UN sources reported approximately 180 civilians, including women and children, perished in artillery and drone strikes near the Bangladesh border, though both the military and rebel forces deny responsibility.
The ICC’s investigation, authorised in 2019, marked a significant legal milestone as the first case accepted despite Myanmar not being a member state. The court established jurisdiction through Bangladesh, where the Rohingya sought refuge, as it recognises ICC authority.
The prosecutor’s office has indicated that additional arrest warrant applications will follow, describing their investigation as extensive and impartial despite limited access to Myanmar. A panel of three ICC judges will now determine whether sufficient grounds exist to proceed with the warrant against Min Aung Hlaing.
Myanmar’s military government has rejected the ICC’s authority, maintaining its longstanding position that the court lacks jurisdiction over the country. Meanwhile, over a million Rohingya continue to inhabit sprawling refugee camps in Bangladesh, comprising the world’s largest stateless population.
