Myanmar has complied with a deadline set by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and submitted a report on steps the government has taken to prevent acts of genocide against the Rohingya people.
A foreign ministry official confirmed to Anadolu Agency that the report was submitted on Saturday, adding that it was based on three directives issued by the president’s office in April. The directives, issued in response to the ICJ ordering Myanmar to protect the Rohingya population from genocide, called on officials not to destroy evidence of genocide, to prevent the committing of genocidal acts and to prevent hate speech against the Rohingya.
“What I know is that the report was based on what we done and what we are doing regarding these three directives,” said the official.
US ambassador-at-large for war crimes David Scheffer said the report was "an important milestone," reports Al Jazeera.
"The world should learn whether Myanmar not only is complying with an international order, but whether it has done so truthfully and without deception or obfuscation," he said.
Rohingya activists meanwhile say that Myanmar is ignoring its own directives, with ongoing abuses being committed by security forces.
"Myanmar has not taken any serious action to protect the Rohingya," said Muhammed Nowkhim, a Rohingya activist in Bangladesh.
"They're always playing the same old game," added Stella Naw.
