Myanmar's state councilor and de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has rejected allegations of genocidal intent by the military against the country's Rohingya Muslim minority.
The 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner took the stand on the second day of hearings at the International Court of Justice in the Hague.
All eyes were on Suu Kyi as she defended Myanmar against the complaint lodged by the African nation of The Gambia, with support from the 57 member countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
"Regretfully, The Gambia has placed before the court an incomplete and misleading factual picture of the situation in Rakhine State in Myanmar," Suu Kyi told the court. "Yet, it is of the utmost importance that the court assess a situation obtaining on the ground in Rakhine dispassionately and accurately."
Her description at the United Nation's highest court was in stark contrast to that of The Gambia's legal team a day earlier, which alleged the military has killed civilians, perpetrated sexual violence and set fire to Rohingya villages.
"The evidence before you, frankly speaking, is overwhelming," said Philippe Sands, a human rights lawyer working with The Gambia. "The risk of destruction of the Rohingya group, in part or in whole, is very real."
Suu Kyi admitted human rights violations may have occurred in Rakhine State, where more than 700,000 people have fled their homes since 2016. However, she blamed an internal armed conflict, despite UN findings of more widespread or targeted violence. She said that Myanmar's justice system was undertaking its own investigations and that if individual soldiers had acted excessively they would be prosecuted.
Rival protesters have been gathering outside the court (Credit: AP)
The Rohingya conflict has created a complicated legacy for the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner. She spent years under house arrest by the same military she now defends, but which she does not have control over. She remains popular at home, where many see the court case as undermining a fragile domestic situation. About 200 fervent Suu Kyi supporters rallied outside the court before her appearance.
The Gambia has asked the court to impose provisional measures to protect the Rohingya. While those would be legally binding, the court has no enforcement mechanism. Both Myanmar and The Gambia will present their final arguments on Thursday, After that, it will be up to the court to decide whether a ruling from the outside could help prevent more bloodshed.
(Cover: Aung San Suu Kyi. Credit: AP)