In a joint statement, the two countries welcomed The Gambia’s application against Myanmar before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the alleged violation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention).

Canada and the Kingdom of the Netherlands said they strongly believe this is a matter that is rightfully brought to the ICJ to provide international legal judgment on whether acts of genocide have been committed.

In order to uphold international accountability and prevent impunity, Canada and the Netherlands expressed their intention to jointly explore all options to support and assist The Gambia in these efforts, reads the joint statement.  

The Genocide Convention embodies a solemn pledge by its signatories to prevent the crime of genocide and hold those responsible to account.

As such, Canada and the Netherlands consider it their obligation to support The Gambia before the ICJ, as it concerns all of humanity.

In 2017, the world witnessed an exodus of over 700,000 Rohingya from Rakhine State to Bangladesh.

They sought refuge from targeted violence, mass murder and sexual and gender based violence carried out by the Myanmar security forces, the very people who should have protected them, according to the joint statement.    

For decades, it said, Rohingyas have suffered systemic discrimination and exclusion, marred by waves of abhorrent violence.

These facts have been corroborated by several investigations, including those conducted by the UN Independent Fact Finding Mission for Myanmar and human rights organizations, said the joint statement.  

They include crimes that constitute acts described in Article II of the Genocide Convention.