Statement on the 70th Anniversary of the Genocide Convention and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

In this month which marks the 70 anniversary of the Genocide Convention,  and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,  Canada  should demonstrate its profound commitment to both Conventions by actions that prevent the promise of “never again” becoming the reality of “yet again” as we are seeing too often, since the Second World War demonstrated most recently by the continuing unfolding of the genocide in Myanmar against the Rohingya people.

The International Commission of Jurists, Canada asks the Canadian government to  demonstrate leadership by demanding effective international efforts to protect the Rohingya that remain in Myanmar while also ensuring that any attempts to repatriate them back to Myanmar is not sending them back into a continuing form of genocidal repression. This is the minimum that our commitment to the Genocide Convention, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and our own commitment to the global rule of law demands of us.

Professor Errol P. Mendes
President, International Commission of Jurists, Canada