Rohingya hearing:Nobel laureate Suu Kyi defends Myanmar

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) - Nobel laureate Aung Suu Kyi, who is also Myanmar's de facto ruler, on Wednesday defended her country against accusations of the Rohingya genocide.

She took a stand at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague against a case filed by The Gambia, a small West African country.

After the court started the proceedings on Tuesday, The Gambia asked the court to prevent Myanmar from further killings of Rohingya.

Myanmar is accused of violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention in its so-called “clearance military operations” against the Rohingya.

The ICJ was told that Rohingya population is controlled by orders, security and checkpoints.

Suu Kyi won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her long fight for democracy and bearing 15 years in house arrest imposed on her by the then-ruling military junta.

However, she has been criticized for remaining silent on accusations of war crimes committed against ethnic Rohingya in her country by the army.