Why The Gambia wants Myanmar punished for Rohingya genocide

Al JazeeraCenterEN 7 min read 100% complete by Shola LawalJanuary 16, 2026 at 12:35 PM

AI Summary

long article 7 min

The Gambia has brought a case against Myanmar in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing the country of committing genocide against its Rohingya Muslim minority. The case, which began in January 2026, stems from a 2017 military offensive that forced approximately 750,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh amid reports of mass killings and arson. This is the first time the ICJ is hearing allegations of mass violations against the Rohingya and the first time a third-party country has brought a genocide case in defense of another group. The Gambia argues that the Rohingya were deliberately targeted for destruction by the Myanmar government. While the ICJ's rulings are not enforceable, a decision in this case could have implications for other genocide cases, such as South Africa's case against Israel.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Israel 30% Palestinians 30% Netherlands 40% Arsalan Suleman 40% South Africa 40% Bangladesh 50% The Hague ×260% Dawda Jallow ×280% International Court of Justice (ICJ) ×690% The Gambia ×690% Myanmar ×790% Rohingya ×895%

Keywords

rohingya genocide 100% the gambia 90% myanmar 80% international court of justice (icj) 80% genocide case 70% human rights 60% dawda jallow 50% legal weight 40% third-party rights defender 40%