Why in News?

• Recently, The International Court of Justice (ICJ) rejected Myanmar junta’s appeal for a 10-month reprieve to file a counter-memorial in response to the case accusing Myanmar of breaching the International Genocide Convention.

Highlights

• The case pertains to the atrocities committed by the Myanmar military during the “clearing” operations in 2017 in Rakhine state, resulting in displacement of Rohingya people.
• The country gained independence from Britain in 1948. It was ruled by the armed forces from 1962 until 2011, when a new government began ushering in a return to civilian rule.
• In the 2010s, the military regime decided to transition the country towards democracy. Although the armed forces remained powerful, political opponents were freed and elections were allowed to be held.
• The National League for Democracy won the 2015 election, the country’s first free and fair election participated by multiple parties, and formed the government, raising hopes that the country is on its way to full transition to democracy.
• In the November 2020 parliamentary election, NLD secured the majority of the seats.
• In the Myanmars’ Parliament, the military holds 25% of the total seats according to the 2008 military-drafted constitution and several key ministerial positions are also reserved for military appointees.
• When the newly elected Myanmar lawmakers were to hold the first session of Parliament in 2021, the military imposed a state of emergency for one year citing massive voting fraud in the parliamentary elections.