The Democratic Youth Council (DYC) issued a statement to the International Criminal Court (ICC)on March 18, urging the court to take swift action against the Military Council in Myanmar, which is currently committing crimes against humanity.
The Democratic Youth Council (DYC) was formed in 2021 by political forces, political parties, young students, and intellectuals from various regions of Myanmar , after the military coup.
It is focused on three primary goals: ending the dictatorship, establishing a federal democratic system, and creating a future for young people with more participation in a future politic system.
The DYC statement expressed its support for the arrest warrant issued by the ICC on March 17 against Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is suspected of involvement in the forcible transfer of children from Ukraine to Russia. The statement also urged the ICC to issue an arrest warrant and take action against the Burmese coup military council for its crimes against humanity.
The UN Human rights investigation into the mass killings, ethnic cleansing and expulsion of the Rohingya people has already called for the ICC to file a case of genocide against several senior generals including the junta chief General Min Aung Hlaing.
Gambia brought the case to the ICJ (International Court of Justice) in 2019 well before the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the fast- tracking action the issue of arrest warrant by the ICC (International Criminal Court ) for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Chairperson of DYC, Jason, stated that the armed resistance in Myanmar is a consequence of the absence of international mediation. He also mentioned that as a global citizen, the DYC cannot tolerate Russia’s violations against Ukraine, and thus welcomes the ICC's action. Moreover, due to the numerous violent acts being perpetrated by the military junta against its citizens, Jason urged for similar action to be taken by the ICC.
He said, “ In Myanmar, there are many crimes committed by the Military Council against humanity similar to Russia. For example the case committed in the village of A Nang Pa in Kachin State, the cases that happened in the village of Nan Nein in Shan State. Therefore we very much welcome the ICC’s action against Russia.
According to the DYC statement, the regional violence perpetrated by the Military Council in Myanmar is not just a domestic issue, but also poses a threat to international peace. As a result, DYC expects that ICC will take action as soon as possible to protect the lives of ethnic people and become effective in resolving the Myanmar issue.
The DYC president has pointed out that the Military Council had committed numerous crimes before the coup d’état in Myanmar. He believes that the likelihood of the ICC taking action against both former and current military leaders is more than a 100%. However the DYC president also emphasized the need for a joint effort by the public and all organizations.
Currently, in addition to working to improve the CDM movement, political and training courses for young people are being conducted not only with the Ministry of Women, Youth and Children Affairs of NUG, but also with other organizations.
