ENSURING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE JUNTA CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY VIOLATION IN MYANMAR: USAGE OF THE ROME STATUTE AND POSSIBLE INVOLVEMENT OF THE UNSC VIA UNSCR REFERRAL
Article Sidebar
Published:
Aug 4, 2022
Keywords:
Juntas, ICC, Myanmar Coup D'etat, ICC Referral, Crimes Against Humanity, Human Rights
Main Article Content
Abstract
The objective of this journal article is to analyze as well as understand the scope of crimes that has been done by the recent Myanmar Juntas, specifically the crimes against humanity. It analyzes the determination of the crime based on the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as well as the possible applicability's-applicability applicability’ towards the ICC. The article will analyze the Junta action of using the basis of unfair election to enact crimes against humanity and the mechanism to bring the Juntas towards the ICC, either by UNSC Referral or the ICC investigation. In addition, the writer has also used several basis as a way to deem the current Junta government as illegitimate as well as the need to enact the UNSC referral.
Article Details
How to Cite
Dafiryan, M. (2022). ENSURING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE JUNTA CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY VIOLATION IN MYANMAR: USAGE OF THE ROME STATUTE AND POSSIBLE INVOLVEMENT OF THE UNSC VIA UNSCR REFERRAL. Padjadjaran Journal of International Law, 6(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.23920/pjil.v6i1.740
Issue
Section
Articles
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Books
Galand, Alexandre Skander. United Nations Security Council Referrals to the International Criminal Court, Leiden: Brill, 2018
Garland, AS. “UN Security Council Referral to the International Criminal Court.”. Leiden: European University Institute, 2020.
Robinson, D.” Oxford Scholarly Authorities on International Law(OSAIL). United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, 2013
TRINDADE, A. A. International Law For Humankind, Hague: Martinus Niijhoff Publishers, 2013
Other Documents
Al-Jazeera. “UN Urged to Retain Kyaw Moe Tun as Myanmar Ambassador. Retrieved from: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/13/un-urged-to-retain-kyaw-moe-tun-as-myanmar-ambassador
Brett Forrest. “Russia Emerges as Key Backer of Myanmar’s Military Post-Coup”, Wall Street Journal, 2021 retrieved at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-emerges-as-key-backer-of-myanmars-military-post-coup-11626433200”
Cambridge University Press. “Military Coup in Burma Draws International Condemnation and Pressure.” American Journal of International Law Vol 115, 21 July 2021, pp. 1-10.
Dias, T. d.. The Nature of the Rome Statute and the Place of International Law before the International Criminal Court. Journal of International Criminal Justice, Volume 17, Issue 3, 507-535 at 511
Egretau, Renaud. “Towards Legislative Institutionalization? Emerging Patterns of Routinization in Myanmar Parliament.” Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, vol. 38(3), 2020, pp. 265-285 at 268.
Fortify Rights. (2021). Myanmar: Engage the International Criminal Court to Hold Military Perpetrators of Mass Atrocity Crimes Accountable. Fortify Rights.
Gastorn, Kennedy. “Defining the Imprecise Contours of Jus Cogens in International Law”. Chinese Journal of International Law, Volume 16, Issue 4, 2018, pp. 643-662., at 643
Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, “Occasional Paper Series”, no 3, 2012
Goldmen, Russel. “Myanmar Coup: What To Know About the Unrest and Protest” New York Times February 1 2021 https://www.nytimes.com/article/myanmar-news-protests-coup.html
Happold, Matthew. “Darfur, the Security Council and the International Criminal Court.” The International and Comparative Law Quarterly, Vol. 55, no.1, Cambridge University Press, 2006, pp. 226-236, at 226.
Humans Rights Council.” Myanmar: UN Expert Says Current International Effort Failing, Urges Change Of Course”. United Nations, 2021, available at: https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/09/1100752https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/09/1100752 .,accessed on 5th January 2021
Humans Rights Watch, “Myanmar: Hundreds Forcibly Disappeared. Available at: https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/04/02/myanmar-hundreds-forcibly-disappeared
Ilardo, M. “Conflict Analysis: The Second Libyan Civil war “, AIES., 2019
International Trade Union Confederation. “Myanmar: National Unity Government Must Be Recognized. Available at: https://www.ituc-csi.org/myanmar-national-unity-government
Jatmika, M. I. Military Coup 2021 and the Stalemate of Democratization Process in Myanmar. Institute of International Studies, 2021, available at: https://iis.fisipol.ugm.ac.id/2021/02/03/military-coup-2021-and-the-stalemate-of-democratization-process-in-myanmar/ .,accessed on 5th January 2021
Molier, Gelijn, “Humanitarian Intervention and The Responsibility to Protect After 9/11”, Netherlands International Law Review, Vol 53, 2006.
Murphy, D. R. International Criminal Accountability and the International Criminal.
Myers, Lucas. “China Is Holding Its Bets In Myanmar.” Retrieved from: https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/09/10/china-myanmar-coup-national-league-for-democracy
Myet Htet Min Tun, et all. Buttressing the Anti-NLD Project: Data on the Civilian Members of Myanmar’s State Administration Council Junta”, Perspective Issue: 2021 No 119, pp. 1-27, at 1.
Okeowo, Ademola Oladimeji, “Statehood, Effectiveness and the Kosovo Declaration of Independence”, November 3, 2008
Oyugi, Phoebe, “Head of State Immunity Under the Rome Statute of International Criminal Court: An Analysis of the Contemporary Legal Issues and the African Union Response to the Prosecution”, Master of Laws Thesis, Rhodes University, 2015.
Palmer, Emma. “Can the ICC Brings Justice Towards Myanmar?”. Retrieved from: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/can-icc-bring-justice-myanmar
Peace and Justice Initiative. “Proprio Motu Investigation by the ICC Prosecutor. Retrieved from: https://www.peaceandjusticeinitiative.org/implementation-resources/proprio-motu-investigation-by-the-icc-prosecutor
Phillippe, Xavier., “The Principle of Universal Jurisdiction and Complementarity: How Do the Two Principles Intermesh”. International Review of The Red Cross, Vol 88, no 862, pp. 1-24, at 2
Poerana, S. A. (2021). ESTABLISHING THE STATUS OF RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT (R2P) AS CUSTOMARY INTERNATIONAL LAW AND ITS ROLE IN PREVENTING MASS ATROCITIES. Padjadjaran Journal of International Law, 55-80.
Priscilla Suri, J. “THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION ON SANCTIONS TOWARDS INDIVIDUAL FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF INTERNATIONAL LAW”. Padjadjaran Journal of International Law, Vol. 3, no. 2, June 2019, pp. 202-218, at 205
Ratcliffe, Rebecca., “Myanmar Junta Condemned Over Guilty Verdicts in Aung San Suu Kyi Trial”, The Guardian, 6 December 2021. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/06/aung-san-suu-kyi-sentenced-to-four-years-in-prison-for-incitement
Reuters, “Asean summit starts with Myanmar junta excluded for ignoring peace deal”, 2021. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/26/asean-summit-starts-with-myanmar-junta-excluded-for-ignoring-peace-deal
Rukin, Artyom. “Why Russia is betting on Myanmar’s Military Junta”, East Asia Forum, 2021 retrieved at: https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2021/04/27/why-russia-is-betting-on-myanmars-military-junta/
Saxena, D. I. Myanmar’s Military Coup: Security Trouble in Southeast Asia. Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs, Special Issue, August 2021
Simpson, Adam. “Myanmar Exile Government Signs Up for ICC Prosecution”. Retrieved from: https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2021/09/17/myanmars-exile-government-signs-up-to-icc-prosecutions/
Simpson, Adam. “Two governments claim to run Myanmar. So, who gets the country’s seat at the UN?” The Conversation, 24 September 2021, retrieved at: https://theconversation.com/two-governments-claim-to-run-myanmar-so-who-gets-the-countrys-seat-at-the-un-167885
Sjöström, Marcus. “The Initiation of an Investigation Proprio Motu by the Prosecutor of the ICC – A Reasonable Basis to Proceed?”, Master Thesis of Public International Law, Uppsala University, 2014
Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. “What We Need to Learn: Lessons from Twenty Years Of Afghanistan Reconstruction.”
Strangio, Sebastian. “Myanmar Junta Forms Caretaker Government.” Retrieved from: https://thediplomat.com/2021/08/myanmar-junta-forms-caretaker-government-promises-elections-in-2023/
Takemura, Hitomi. The ASEAN Region and the International Criminal Court. Japan: Springer, 2017
United States Department of State.” The United States Takes Further Actions Against the Burmese Military Regime.” Available at: https://www.state.gov/the-united-states-takes-further-actions-against-the-burmese-military-regime/
Wang, Phillip.”Myanmar Juntas Extremely Disappointed Over Leader’s Exclusion From Asean Summit.” Retrieved from: https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/16/asia/asean-excludes-myanmar-junta-intl-hnk/index.html
Wehberg, Hans. “Pacta Sunt Servanda.” The American Journal of International Law, vol. 53, no. 4, American Society of International Law, 1959, pp. 775–786, at 777.
Wenqi, Zhu. “On Co-operation by States Not Party to The International Criminal Court.” International Review of the Red Cross, Vol 88, no 863, pp. 1-24 at 3
White, Edward & Reed, John. “China Bolster Ties with Myanmar Junta Despite International Condemnation, June 23 2021, available at: https://www.ft.com/content/ca43da4c-4287-4de6-ad8a-57a2a32fe7f3
Wippman,. The Nine Lives of Article 2(4). Minnesota Journal of International Law, 1-21, 2007
Yangon.” Myanmar Junta Cancels Results of 2020 Polls”. France24. Retrieved from France24.com: https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210726-myanmar-junta-cancels-results-of-2020-polls-won-by-suu-kyi-s-party
Legal
Chairman Statement on the ASEAN Leader’s Meeting, ASEAN Secretariat 2021.
Charter of the United Nations, United Nations.
European Parliament Resolution on the Human Rights Situation In Myanmar, Including the Situation Of Religious and Ethnic Groups, European Union. 2021/2905(RSP)
International Criminal Court.”Situation In The People Republic of Bangladesh/ Republic of the Union of Myanmar, order of 14 November 2019, [2019] Pre Trial Chamber III 4 at 1-58
The States Parties Towards the Rome Statute, International Criminal Court. Accessed at: https://asp.icc-cpi.int/en_menus/asp/states%20parties/pages/the%20states%20parties%20to%20the%20rome%20statute.aspx
Montevideo Convention, December 26, 1993, online: United Nations:
Galand, Alexandre Skander. United Nations Security Council Referrals to the International Criminal Court, Leiden: Brill, 2018
Garland, AS. “UN Security Council Referral to the International Criminal Court.”. Leiden: European University Institute, 2020.
Robinson, D.” Oxford Scholarly Authorities on International Law(OSAIL). United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, 2013
TRINDADE, A. A. International Law For Humankind, Hague: Martinus Niijhoff Publishers, 2013
Other Documents
Al-Jazeera. “UN Urged to Retain Kyaw Moe Tun as Myanmar Ambassador. Retrieved from: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/13/un-urged-to-retain-kyaw-moe-tun-as-myanmar-ambassador
Brett Forrest. “Russia Emerges as Key Backer of Myanmar’s Military Post-Coup”, Wall Street Journal, 2021 retrieved at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-emerges-as-key-backer-of-myanmars-military-post-coup-11626433200”
Cambridge University Press. “Military Coup in Burma Draws International Condemnation and Pressure.” American Journal of International Law Vol 115, 21 July 2021, pp. 1-10.
Dias, T. d.. The Nature of the Rome Statute and the Place of International Law before the International Criminal Court. Journal of International Criminal Justice, Volume 17, Issue 3, 507-535 at 511
Egretau, Renaud. “Towards Legislative Institutionalization? Emerging Patterns of Routinization in Myanmar Parliament.” Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, vol. 38(3), 2020, pp. 265-285 at 268.
Fortify Rights. (2021). Myanmar: Engage the International Criminal Court to Hold Military Perpetrators of Mass Atrocity Crimes Accountable. Fortify Rights.
Gastorn, Kennedy. “Defining the Imprecise Contours of Jus Cogens in International Law”. Chinese Journal of International Law, Volume 16, Issue 4, 2018, pp. 643-662., at 643
Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, “Occasional Paper Series”, no 3, 2012
Goldmen, Russel. “Myanmar Coup: What To Know About the Unrest and Protest” New York Times February 1 2021 https://www.nytimes.com/article/myanmar-news-protests-coup.html
Happold, Matthew. “Darfur, the Security Council and the International Criminal Court.” The International and Comparative Law Quarterly, Vol. 55, no.1, Cambridge University Press, 2006, pp. 226-236, at 226.
Humans Rights Council.” Myanmar: UN Expert Says Current International Effort Failing, Urges Change Of Course”. United Nations, 2021, available at: https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/09/1100752https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/09/1100752 .,accessed on 5th January 2021
Humans Rights Watch, “Myanmar: Hundreds Forcibly Disappeared. Available at: https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/04/02/myanmar-hundreds-forcibly-disappeared
Ilardo, M. “Conflict Analysis: The Second Libyan Civil war “, AIES., 2019
International Trade Union Confederation. “Myanmar: National Unity Government Must Be Recognized. Available at: https://www.ituc-csi.org/myanmar-national-unity-government
Jatmika, M. I. Military Coup 2021 and the Stalemate of Democratization Process in Myanmar. Institute of International Studies, 2021, available at: https://iis.fisipol.ugm.ac.id/2021/02/03/military-coup-2021-and-the-stalemate-of-democratization-process-in-myanmar/ .,accessed on 5th January 2021
Molier, Gelijn, “Humanitarian Intervention and The Responsibility to Protect After 9/11”, Netherlands International Law Review, Vol 53, 2006.
Murphy, D. R. International Criminal Accountability and the International Criminal.
Myers, Lucas. “China Is Holding Its Bets In Myanmar.” Retrieved from: https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/09/10/china-myanmar-coup-national-league-for-democracy
Myet Htet Min Tun, et all. Buttressing the Anti-NLD Project: Data on the Civilian Members of Myanmar’s State Administration Council Junta”, Perspective Issue: 2021 No 119, pp. 1-27, at 1.
Okeowo, Ademola Oladimeji, “Statehood, Effectiveness and the Kosovo Declaration of Independence”, November 3, 2008
Oyugi, Phoebe, “Head of State Immunity Under the Rome Statute of International Criminal Court: An Analysis of the Contemporary Legal Issues and the African Union Response to the Prosecution”, Master of Laws Thesis, Rhodes University, 2015.
Palmer, Emma. “Can the ICC Brings Justice Towards Myanmar?”. Retrieved from: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/can-icc-bring-justice-myanmar
Peace and Justice Initiative. “Proprio Motu Investigation by the ICC Prosecutor. Retrieved from: https://www.peaceandjusticeinitiative.org/implementation-resources/proprio-motu-investigation-by-the-icc-prosecutor
Phillippe, Xavier., “The Principle of Universal Jurisdiction and Complementarity: How Do the Two Principles Intermesh”. International Review of The Red Cross, Vol 88, no 862, pp. 1-24, at 2
Poerana, S. A. (2021). ESTABLISHING THE STATUS OF RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT (R2P) AS CUSTOMARY INTERNATIONAL LAW AND ITS ROLE IN PREVENTING MASS ATROCITIES. Padjadjaran Journal of International Law, 55-80.
Priscilla Suri, J. “THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION ON SANCTIONS TOWARDS INDIVIDUAL FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF INTERNATIONAL LAW”. Padjadjaran Journal of International Law, Vol. 3, no. 2, June 2019, pp. 202-218, at 205
Ratcliffe, Rebecca., “Myanmar Junta Condemned Over Guilty Verdicts in Aung San Suu Kyi Trial”, The Guardian, 6 December 2021. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/06/aung-san-suu-kyi-sentenced-to-four-years-in-prison-for-incitement
Reuters, “Asean summit starts with Myanmar junta excluded for ignoring peace deal”, 2021. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/26/asean-summit-starts-with-myanmar-junta-excluded-for-ignoring-peace-deal
Rukin, Artyom. “Why Russia is betting on Myanmar’s Military Junta”, East Asia Forum, 2021 retrieved at: https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2021/04/27/why-russia-is-betting-on-myanmars-military-junta/
Saxena, D. I. Myanmar’s Military Coup: Security Trouble in Southeast Asia. Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs, Special Issue, August 2021
Simpson, Adam. “Myanmar Exile Government Signs Up for ICC Prosecution”. Retrieved from: https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2021/09/17/myanmars-exile-government-signs-up-to-icc-prosecutions/
Simpson, Adam. “Two governments claim to run Myanmar. So, who gets the country’s seat at the UN?” The Conversation, 24 September 2021, retrieved at: https://theconversation.com/two-governments-claim-to-run-myanmar-so-who-gets-the-countrys-seat-at-the-un-167885
Sjöström, Marcus. “The Initiation of an Investigation Proprio Motu by the Prosecutor of the ICC – A Reasonable Basis to Proceed?”, Master Thesis of Public International Law, Uppsala University, 2014
Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. “What We Need to Learn: Lessons from Twenty Years Of Afghanistan Reconstruction.”
Strangio, Sebastian. “Myanmar Junta Forms Caretaker Government.” Retrieved from: https://thediplomat.com/2021/08/myanmar-junta-forms-caretaker-government-promises-elections-in-2023/
Takemura, Hitomi. The ASEAN Region and the International Criminal Court. Japan: Springer, 2017
United States Department of State.” The United States Takes Further Actions Against the Burmese Military Regime.” Available at: https://www.state.gov/the-united-states-takes-further-actions-against-the-burmese-military-regime/
Wang, Phillip.”Myanmar Juntas Extremely Disappointed Over Leader’s Exclusion From Asean Summit.” Retrieved from: https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/16/asia/asean-excludes-myanmar-junta-intl-hnk/index.html
Wehberg, Hans. “Pacta Sunt Servanda.” The American Journal of International Law, vol. 53, no. 4, American Society of International Law, 1959, pp. 775–786, at 777.
Wenqi, Zhu. “On Co-operation by States Not Party to The International Criminal Court.” International Review of the Red Cross, Vol 88, no 863, pp. 1-24 at 3
White, Edward & Reed, John. “China Bolster Ties with Myanmar Junta Despite International Condemnation, June 23 2021, available at: https://www.ft.com/content/ca43da4c-4287-4de6-ad8a-57a2a32fe7f3
Wippman,. The Nine Lives of Article 2(4). Minnesota Journal of International Law, 1-21, 2007
Yangon.” Myanmar Junta Cancels Results of 2020 Polls”. France24. Retrieved from France24.com: https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210726-myanmar-junta-cancels-results-of-2020-polls-won-by-suu-kyi-s-party
Legal
Chairman Statement on the ASEAN Leader’s Meeting, ASEAN Secretariat 2021.
Charter of the United Nations, United Nations.
European Parliament Resolution on the Human Rights Situation In Myanmar, Including the Situation Of Religious and Ethnic Groups, European Union. 2021/2905(RSP)
International Criminal Court.”Situation In The People Republic of Bangladesh/ Republic of the Union of Myanmar, order of 14 November 2019, [2019] Pre Trial Chamber III 4 at 1-58
The States Parties Towards the Rome Statute, International Criminal Court. Accessed at: https://asp.icc-cpi.int/en_menus/asp/states%20parties/pages/the%20states%20parties%20to%20the%20rome%20statute.aspx
Montevideo Convention, December 26, 1993, online: United Nations: