Aung San Suu Kyi has defended the actions of Myanmar's military at the UN's top court, saying that allegations of genocide against Rohingya Muslims were "misleading and incomplete".
The Gambia, a small West African country, launched its case against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Tuesday.
Gambian Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou said it would be "extremely disappointing" if Myanmar's civilian leader repeated previous rejections of wrongdoing by the generals that once kept her under house arrest.
But addressing the ICJ on Wednesday, Ms Suu Kyi did exactly that.
"Regrettably The Gambia has placed before the court a misleading and incomplete picture of the situation in Rakhine state," she said.
Ms Suu Kyi challenged claims that events in 2017 in Rakhine State, home to the country's Muslim minority, could be legally classed as genocide. She said that problems in the region "go back centuries".
Ms Suu Kyi conceded that "disproportionate force" might have been used by soldiers at times. While Myanmar has prosecuted seven military officials for abuses, they were set free after serving less than a year of 10-year sentences.
She said a military-led "clearance operation" had taken place in western Rakhine State as a counterterrorism response to armed Rohingya attacks on dozens of police stations.
However, repression of the region’s Rohingya long predates the October 2016 incidents in which armed groups targeted the Myanmar military, the justification for launching the clearance operation.
UN investigators have said around 10,000 people, including women and children, may have been killed during the military crackdown.
More than 730,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar to neighbouring Bangladesh where they live in the world’s biggest refugee camp, Kutupalong in Cox’s Bazar. Ms Suu Kyi, 74, said Myanmar was working with Bangladesh to repatriate those who fled.
Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK, accused Ms Suu Kyi of “barefaced lying” during her testimony and said her civilian government was guilty of genocide.
He told The National that Ms Suu Kyi's decision to appear at the ICJ was politically motivated.
“Aung San Suu Kyi is facing election next year. She hasn’t delivered on a lot of her election promises and she is using this case domestically to whip up nationalist support,” he said. “And separately by defending the military internationally, she is trying to persuade them that she is not a threat at all.”
The Gambia’s lawyers gave detailed descriptions of how the Rohingya were raped, murdered and had their homes burnt to the ground on the first day of the three-day hearing.
The Gambia, which is a Muslim-majority state and a member of the 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Co-operation, is initially seeking ICJ approval for temporary measures to be put in place protect the Rohingya. A ruling of genocide could be years away.
Amnesty International's regional director Nicholas Bequelin called the suggestion that Myanmar would be able to independently prosecute those suspected of crimes under international law "nothing but a fantasy".
He said senior military figures who orchestrated the human rights violations had already "enjoyed decades of total impunity".
A small group of pro-Rohingya protesters gathered outside of the court in The Hague shouting: "Aung San Suu Kyi, shame on you."
In the city of Yangon in Myanmar, several hundred people watched a live broadcast of the hearings in a park. There have been demonstrations of support for Ms Suu Kyi in the city.
Mr Farmaner said the civilian leader’s actions would lead to everyone in Myanmar suffering.
“Although she might be taking comfort that the country's Buddhist majority is standing behind her on this case, she is actually polarising the country by letting other ethnic minority groups see her defend the crimes of the military that have persecuted them too,” he said.
“Internationally, it is going to make it harder for Myanmar to get the support it needs for economic development and improve the standards of people when you have an authoritarian government that is denying genocide and committing its own human rights violations."
He said Ms Suu Kyi was leading the country “down a dangerous and tragic path”.
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It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
Champions League Last 16
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Bayern Munich (GER)
Sporting Lisbon (POR) v Manchester City (ENG)
Benfica (POR) v Ajax (NED)
Chelsea (ENG) v Lille (FRA)
Atletico Madrid (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG)
Villarreal (ESP) v Juventus (ITA)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Liverpool (ENG)
Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)
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The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
The specs: Macan Turbo
Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
Power: 639hp
Torque: 1,130Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Touring range: 591km
Price: From Dh412,500
On sale: Deliveries start in October
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
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11 cabbie-recommended restaurants and dishes to try in Abu Dhabi
Iqbal Restaurant behind Wendy’s on Hamdan Street for the chicken karahi (Dh14)
Pathemari in Navy Gate for prawn biryani (from Dh12 to Dh35)
Abu Al Nasar near Abu Dhabi Mall, for biryani (from Dh12 to Dh20)
Bonna Annee at Navy Gate for Ethiopian food (the Bonna Annee special costs Dh42 and comes with a mix of six house stews – key wet, minchet abesh, kekel, meser be sega, tibs fir fir and shiro).
Al Habasha in Tanker Mai for Ethiopian food (tibs, a hearty stew with meat, is a popular dish; here it costs Dh36.75 for lamb and beef versions)
Himalayan Restaurant in Mussaffa for Nepalese (the momos and chowmein noodles are best-selling items, and go for between Dh14 and Dh20)
Makalu in Mussaffa for Nepalese (get the chicken curry or chicken fry for Dh11)
Al Shaheen Cafeteria near Guardian Towers for a quick morning bite, especially the egg sandwich in paratha (Dh3.50)
Pinky Food Restaurant in Tanker Mai for tilapia
Tasty Zone for Nepalese-style noodles (Dh15)
Ibrahimi for Pakistani food (a quarter chicken tikka with roti costs Dh16)
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TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENCE (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out ballistic missiles as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
Sreesanth's India bowling career
Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40
ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55
T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12
OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
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The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
Pathaan
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
