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AJC SECRETARIAT HIGHLIGHTS |
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‘OPPOSE SANCTIONS AGAINST THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT, SAFEGUARD VICTIMS’ ACCESS TO JUSTICE’
On 12 January, Asia Justice Coalition joined Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC) and 120+ NGOs opposing the efforts by the US to sanction the International Criminal Court. The statement urged ICC member states to defend the Court, its officials, and those cooperating with it from measures aimed at undermining the court’s vital mandate for justice. AJC reiterated the fact that as the world witnesses multiple conflicts, the importance of the ICC for victims and survivors of mass atrocities cannot be overstated. AJC members International Commission of Jurists, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Global Justice Center, Legal Action Worldwide, and Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect also co-signed the letter.
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AJC WIJA PROJECT BOARD MEETING
On 13 January, Asia Justice Coalition secretariat convened a virtual meeting with the Board Members of the Women Leaders in International Justice and Accountability (WIJA) Project. The secretariat, along with its Bangladesh and Sri Lanka coordinators and team, provided a programmatic update and engaged in a critical discussion with the Board. The meeting also outlined the vision, timelines, and deliverables for 2025.
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FORTIFY: ‘ARAKAN ARMY ADMITS TO EXECUTING PRISONERS OF WAR’
On 24 January, Asia Justice Coalition member Fortify Rights published an analysis of two leaked videos it obtained showing a group of Arakan Army (AA) soldiers and plain-clothed men cutting and hacking the throats of two prisoners of war in front of a shallow dirt pit in the ground. Hours after Fortify Rights published its findings, AA spokesperson Khaing Thuka acknowledged the authenticity of the videos, condemned the killings, and said that those responsible had been identified and punished, providing no further details. Fortify called for the case to be investigated and prosecuted by the International Criminal Court.
BROUK: ‘FIVE YEARS ON – WORLD COURT ORDERS TO PROTECT THE ROHINGYA STILL BEING IGNORED’
On 22 January, Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) released a new report entitled 'The Genocide Never Stopped – Five Years on From the World Court’s Order to Protect the Rohingya’. The report provides a detailed legal analysis of ongoing violations of the ICJ’s provisional measures order to prevent genocide. The report finds that the UNSC has the authority and obligation under the UN Charter to enforce the Court’s binding orders in the face of non-compliance.
GCR2P: ATROCITY ALERT NO. 422: MYANMAR (BURMA)
On 8 January, Asia Justice Coalition member the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect called on the international community to reject the proposed elections by the Myanmar military and advance justice and accountability for atrocity crimes. According to Savita Pawnday (Executive Director, GCR2P), “States must continue to refuse legitimizing the junta, including by not supporting proposed elections in light of the flawed census, the current restrictions on civic space, and the junta’s record of committing atrocities across the country.”
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AI: ‘ROHINGYA SURVIVOR ASKS US REGULATOR TO INVESTIGATE META’S POTENTIAL ROLE IN MYANMAR ATROCITIES’
On 23 January, Amnesty International, the Open Society Justice Initiative, and Victim Advocates International jointly supported the submission by Maung Sawyeddollah, a Rohingya human rights activist and atrocity survivor, to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), asking the agency to investigate Meta for alleged violations of securities laws stemming from the company’s misrepresentations to shareholders on its substantial contribution to what the US government has classified as genocide perpetrated against the Rohingya in Myanmar in 2017.
HRW: ‘MYANMAR ‘SCORCHED EARTH’ TACTICS INTENSIFY’
On 16 January, in its World Report 2025, Human Rights Watch reported that Myanmar’s military junta has ramped-up its “scorched earth” tactics against opposition areas amid a growing armed resistance and territorial losses during 2024. According to HRW, the Myanmar military has increasingly carried out aerial and artillery attacks using explosive weapons in populated areas, further tightened restrictions on humanitarian aid and telecommunications services as a method of collective punishment, forcibly recruited young adults and children through abductions and detention of family members, and along with the ethnic Arakan Army, committed mass killings, arson, and unlawful recruitment against Rohingya civilians in Rakhine State.
BHRN: ‘STRONGLY CONDEMN THE JUNTA’S HORRIFIC BOMBING OF KAMAN MUSLIM VILLAGE’
On 9 January, Burma Human Rights Network strongly condemns the horrific bombing of Kyauk Ni Maw village in Ramre Island, Myanmar, which occurred around 1:30 pm on January 8, 2025. According to U Kyaw Win (Executive Director, BHRN), “This attack is part of a larger pattern of the Burmese military junta using airstrikes to indiscriminately target civilian populations.” BHRN urged the United Nations Security Council to implement concrete measures, including a ban on jet fuel supplies to the Burmese military, to curb these barbaric attacks. |
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MALAYSIA NAMES EX-DIPLOMAT OTHMAN HASHIM ASEAN SPECIAL ENVOY ON MYANMAR CRISIS
On 19 January, Reuters reported that Malaysia, the 2025 ASEAN Chair, has appointed diplomat Othman Hashim as the ASEAN's special envoy on Myanmar. Mr. Othman is the former secretary general of Malaysia's foreign ministry.
BILATERAL MEETING: SECRETARY-GENERAL OF ASEAN AND SPECIAL ENVOY OF THE UN SECRETARY-GENERAL ON MYANMAR
On 21 January, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, engaged in a substantive discussion with Julie Bishop, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General on Myanmar, to address the ongoing situation in Myanmar. Their dialogue focused on the critical role of UN agencies in supporting ASEAN’s humanitarian efforts and advancing the implementation of the ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus, underscoring the importance of collaboration to foster peace, stability, and well-being of the people in the region.
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