November 2019 Monthly Atmospheric Report

The lawsuit requests that the ICJ order Myanmar to immediately cease any genocidal acts against the Rohingya while the ICJ determines whether or not it has jurisdiction in this case. Hearings will be held December 10-12 in The Hague, with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi heading the legal team in Myanmar's defense. The International Criminal Court (ICC) authorized an investigation into the alleged crimes against the Rohingya, citing Bangladesh's status as a signatory to the Rome Statute. The ICC determined that it has jurisdiction in this case because the crimes, including forced displacement, systematic acts of violence, and persecution, are taking place on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. This authorization allows for a broad-based investigation into crimes tied to the original investigation, including future crimes, potentially allowing the ICC to prosecute the Tatmadaw for crimes not yet committed. The Arakan Army released many hostages that were detained last month, but a Chin lawmaker remains a hostage on suspicion of working with the Tatmadaw. Fighting between the Tatmadaw and Shan ethnic armed organizations continues, with the Ta'ang National Liberation Army allegedly attacking the Lashio airport and the Restoration Council of Shan State suspected of killing three village headmen. The Tatmadaw is accused of firing on villages and using civilians as human shields. The Union Election Commission (UEC) warned political parties against criticizing its work, threatening legal action against the Union Solidarity and Development Party and 19 other parties for spreading "falsehoods." Senior General Min Aung Hlaing warned against disrupting stability under the 2008 Constitution, raising fears that the military may undermine the 2020 election. In an interview with Japanese media outlet Yomiuri Shimbun, Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing spoke against constitutional reform and called into question the validity of the 2020 election should there be low turnout. The Central Bank of Myanmar announced plans for the first round of licensing to foreign banks, expected to liberalize the banking sector. However, some economists doubt it will be enough to bring much-needed capital into Myanmar. Overseas employment agencies can apply for formal remittance licenses, a reform expected to help the Government of Myanmar track how much money is entering the country.