Myanmar Rohingya: Suu Kyi accused of 'silence' in genocide tria

The Gambia has denounced Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's "silence" over alleged atrocities against Rohingya Muslims.

The Muslim-majority African country has accused Myanmar of genocide in a case at the UN's top court.

Lawyers said Ms Suu Kyi had ignored widespread allegations of mass murder, rape and forced deportation.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate has defended her country, calling the case "incomplete and incorrect".

In her closing remarks at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Thursday, she said the genocide case could "undermine reconciliation".

What did The Gambia say?

Lawyers for The Gambia hit out at arguments from Ms Suu Kyi that a 2017 military crackdown in Rakhine state was a "clearance operation" targeting militants.

Thousands of Rohingya were killed and more than 700,000 fled to neighbouring Bangladesh during the crackdown in Buddhist-majority Myanmar. There were widespread allegations of sexual violence and rape.

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"Madame Agent, your silence says far more than your words," lawyer Philippe Sands said, referring to Ms Suu Kyi's position as Myanmar's agent in the case.

"The word 'rape' did not once pass the lips of the agent," he added.

"What is most striking is what Myanmar has not denied," said another lawyer for The Gambia, Paul Reichler, according to AFP news agency.

The Gambia brought the case on behalf of dozens of other Muslim countries, calling on Myanmar to "stop this genocide of its own people".

How has Suu Kyi responded to the allegations?

Ms Suu Kyi - once celebrated internationally as a champion of democracy - has been de facto leader of Myanmar since April 2016, before the alleged genocide began. She does not have control over the army, but has been accused by the UN investigator of "complicity" in the military clearances.

Myanmar has always insisted it was tackling an extremist threat in Rakhine, and Ms Suu Kyi has maintained that stance at the ICJ, describing the violence as an "internal armed conflict" triggered by Rohingya militant attacks on government security posts.