Analysis: Current Landscape of Hate Speech in Myanmar under the principle of universal jurisdiction for violations of international criminal law.284 Among officials named in the case are top civilian leaders, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and senior military leaders, including Commander-in-Chief Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing.285 In response to ICJ proceedings, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi announced on November 20, 2019, that she would personally appear before the ICJ to defend Myanmar in the case filed by The Gambia.286 Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s decision to appear before the ICJ has signaled her intention to resist international accountability measures for atrocities committed against ethnic and reli- gious minorities in Myanmar.287 In a press statement, NLD spokesperson Myo Nyunt said about the ICJ case: [The government] has officially announced that the State Counsellor, in her capacity as foreign affairs minister, will take the lead role to address this as [the case] harms the dignity of Myanmar. There is a huge difference between what is happening inside the country and what the rest of the world knows about it. So it is best for the State Counsellor to address the issue.288 The fact that the ICJ case was instituted by a member state of the OIC has often been invoked to discredit the case as a strategic move funded by Islamic countries to tarnish Myanmar’s inter- national standing.289 For example, U Maung Maung Soe, a political commentator and ethnic affairs analyst has commented that from the ICJ case it “appears that OIC countries do not want to accept the simple repatriation of Bengali refugees” and that “OIC members are powerful and can spread propaganda with their strong financial power.”290 Myanmar CSOs interviewed for this report expressed disappointment in Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s decision to attend the ICJ proceedings.291 According to them, awareness inside Myanmar about the details of these international cases has remained low and has resulted in equating support for the ICC and ICJ cases with opposing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.292 In the eyes of her supporters (and also in Myanmar media coverage), she has been heralded as a national hero for not bowing to international pressure, magnanimously defending Myanmar from unjust claims.293 Many believe that issues like international accountability will likely come to the forefront in the upcoming 2020 elections.294 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 Ibid. Ibid. “Aung San Suu Kyi to Lead Myanmar Team to Fight Genocide Accusation,” The Associated Press, November 20, 2019, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/20/world/asia/suu-kyi-genocide.html. Ibid. “Observers Demand Myanmar Unity Before ICJ Case,” The Irrawaddy, November 26, 2019, https://www.irrawaddy. com/news/burma/observers-demand-myanmar-unity-ahead-icj-case.html. FGD (December 2019). “Observers Demand Myanmar Unity,” The Irrawaddy. FGD (December 2019); See also Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. 55