A victory for humanity: Foreign minister

Foreign Minister A K Abdul Momen. File photo

The verdict of the International Court of Justice hopefully will stop recurrence of ethnic cleansing and genocide in the world, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said in an instant reaction.

"A victory for humanity, a milestone for human rights activists across all nations. A victory for Gambia, OIC, the Rohingya and of course, for Bangladesh. God bless humanity and also the 'mother of humanity' Sheikh Hasina," he said in a statement this afternoon.

The Gambia's Ministry of Justice hailed the verdict and said, "The ICJ unanimously grants essential Provisional Measures requested by the Gambia against Myanmar. Major step towards holding Myanmar accountable for alleged acts of genocide against the Rohingya".

Breaking: The @CIJ_ICJunanimously grants essential Provisional Measures requested by @Gambia_MOJ

against Myanmar. Major step towards holding Myanmar accountable for alleged acts of Genocide against Rohyinga. Myanmar ordered to report within 4 months and every 6 months thereon. pic.twitter.com/vOLXs28z9f

— Ministry of Justice (@Gambia_MOJ) January 23, 2020

The African nation, which initiated the legal battle against Myanmar, tweeted the statement after the UN's top court granted essential provisional measures against Myanmar.

The World Court, the ICJ accepted all four provisional measures' request in a unanimous (all 15 judges) verdict and asked Myanmar to submit a report within four months confirming measures taken; followed by reports every 6 weeks.

The court used the term 'Rohingya' and also rejected Myanmar's claim and also asked the country to stop genocide and atrocities against Rohingyas.

Besides, the ICJ ordered Myanmar to take urgent steps to prevent the alleged genocide of the minority Rohingya Muslims.

This is the first time that Myanmar has faced justice over the 2017 military crackdown against the Rohingyas that forced around 740,000 Rohingya to flee neighbouring Bangladesh.

The International Court of Justice in The Hague granted a series of emergency steps requested by the mainly Muslim African state of The Gambia under the 1948 Genocide Convention.