Myanmar Junta Leader Min Aung Hlaing Faces ICC Arrest Warrant Over Rohingya Persecution

MYANMAR – Myanmar’s junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, is facing an arrest warrant request by the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor for crimes against humanity linked to the brutal military campaign against the Rohingya Muslim minority in 2017. The announcement on Wednesday signals a major development in international efforts to hold Myanmar’s military accountable for alleged atrocities.

The ICC prosecutor’s application, which will be decided by a panel of three judges, comes at a time when Min Aung Hlaing faces unprecedented pressure both domestically and internationally. Once the commander-in-chief of the Tatmadaw, Myanmar’s military, and now head of the ruling junta, he oversaw a crackdown that drove over 1 million Rohingya from their homes in Rakhine State into neighboring Bangladesh. The campaign included mass killings, sexual violence, and village destruction, described by the United Nations as ethnic cleansing.

In October 2017, Min Aung Hlaing publicly denied the Rohingya’s status as natives of Myanmar, calling them “Bengalis” and blaming their presence on British colonial policies. During a widely publicized meeting with Buddhist leaders in Rakhine State, he referred to the Rohingya presence as “a long-standing problem” that was an “unfinished job.”

The junta has not responded to the ICC announcement. A spokesperson for Myanmar’s military government did not answer calls, and Reuters’ request for comment remains unanswered.

This development adds to the challenges faced by Min Aung Hlaing, whose position has weakened significantly since his military-led coup in February 2021, which overthrew the civilian government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. The coup was justified by unfounded claims of election fraud in the 2020 general elections, which Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) had won in a landslide. Suu Kyi is now imprisoned on a series of charges her lawyers and supporters dismiss as politically motivated.

Domestically, Min Aung Hlaing’s regime has faced growing resistance, with large-scale anti-junta protests and armed uprisings. Pro-democracy forces, allied with ethnic rebel groups, have wrested control of significant territories, including the strategic northeastern town of Lashio. This loss marked the first time anti-junta forces captured a regional military command, dealing a symbolic blow to the Tatmadaw.

Despite mounting criticism, including from hardline pro-military factions and Buddhist monks, Min Aung Hlaing remains defiant. In an August speech, he called for national unity, urging citizens to support the military with “sacrifice of life, blood, and sweat.”

Internationally, sanctions by the European Union and the United States have targeted Min Aung Hlaing, imposing travel bans, freezing assets, and restricting financial transactions. The ICC’s arrest warrant request, if approved, would amplify his global isolation and heighten pressure on the junta.

The ICC’s move could mark a pivotal step in seeking justice for the Rohingya and holding Myanmar’s military leaders accountable. However, enforcement of such warrants remains a significant challenge, as Myanmar is not a signatory to the ICC and Min Aung Hlaing retains control over a militarized state apparatus.