The Rohingya Catastrophe: A Plight of Persecution and Desperation    

For decades, the Rohingya, an ethnic Muslim minority in Myanmar, have endured severe persecution in the predominantly Buddhist country. Myanmar’s discriminatory policies and violent military campaigns, particularly since 2017, have driven a massive exodus of Rohingya refugees to neighboring countries, mainly Bangladesh. Denied citizenship and subjected to systemic discrimination, the Rohingya are rendered stateless and face significant human rights abuses.

Discriminatory laws dating back to the late 1970s have forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee their homes. The 2017 military campaign intensified this crisis, with reports of rape, murder, and arson by Myanmar’s security forces. This campaign, framed as a counter-terrorism effort, has led to accusations of ethnic cleansing and genocide. Despite international condemnation and sanctions, the Myanmar government continues to deny these accusations.

Myanmar’s authorities are actively reshaping northern Rakhine State, where most Rohingya lived. This includes clearing burned villages and constructing new infrastructure and security bases. Satellite imagery and on-the-ground reports reveal extensive destruction of Rohingya homes and construction on these sites, further entrenching their displacement. The construction of new villages for non-Rohingya populations exacerbates fears that returning refugees will face continued discrimination and insecurity.

Liz Throssell, Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, reports receiving alarming and disturbing accounts from northern Rakhine State regarding the conflict’s impact on civilian lives and property. Some of the most serious allegations concern incidents of killing Rohingya civilians and burning their property. Tens of thousands of civilians have been displaced in recent days by the fighting in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships. An estimated 45,000 Rohingya have reportedly fled to an area on the Naf River near the border with Bangladesh, seeking protection. Over one million Rohingya are already in Bangladesh, having fled past purges. The High Commissioner calls on Bangladesh and other states to provide effective protection to those seeking it, in line with international law, and to ensure international solidarity with Bangladesh in hosting Rohingya refugees from Myanmar.

Testimonies, satellite images, and online videos indicate that Buthidaung town has been largely burned. Information indicates that the burning started on 17 May, two days after the military had retreated from the town and the Arakan Army claimed to have taken full control. The UN Office is corroborating information about who is responsible. One survivor described seeing dozens of dead bodies as he fled the town. Another survivor said he was among tens of thousands blocked by the Arakan Army on the road west linking Buthidaung to Maungdaw town. Survivors recounted abuse and extortion by the Arakan Army as they made their way to Rohingya villages around 10 to 15 kilometers south of the town, where Rohingya already displaced by earlier attacks had previously sought shelter. Rohingya in these areas have, for weeks, described sheltering with unfamiliar families, lacking enough food to feed their families.

Testimonies, satellite images, and online videos indicate that Buthidaung town has been largely burned. Information indicates that the burning started on 17 May, two days after the military had retreated from the town and the Arakan Army claimed to have taken full control

The UN Human Rights Office has documented renewed attacks on Rohingya civilians by both the Arakan Army and the military in northern Rakhine State. Reports include aerial strikes, shootings at unarmed fleeing villagers, beheadings, disappearances, and burnings of homes. For years, the military has targeted the Rohingya and actively enforced draconian and discriminatory restrictions affecting all aspects of their lives.

There are clear and present risks of a serious expansion of violence as the battle for neighboring Maungdaw town has begun, where the military maintains outposts and where a large Rohingya community lives, including hundreds of displaced Rohingya who moved to town from villages seeking safety. In this appalling situation, civilians are once more victimized, killed, their properties destroyed and looted, their demands for safety and security ignored, and they are again forced to flee their homes in a recurring nightmare of suffering. The High Commissioner calls for an immediate end to the violence, and for all civilians to be protected without any distinction based on identity. Prompt and unhindered humanitarian relief must be allowed, and all parties must comply fully and unconditionally with international law, including measures already ordered by the International Court of Justice for the protection of Rohingya.

The majority of Rohingya refugees are living in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh, with limited access to education, healthcare, and clean water. The camps, such as those in Cox’s Bazar, are prone to disease outbreaks and lack adequate sanitation. Other countries, including Malaysia, India, and Indonesia, host smaller numbers of Rohingya refugees, but conditions there are also harsh, with many refugees facing legal and social challenges.

Recently, approximately 50 Rohingya Muslims, primarily women and children, arrived in North Sumatra, Indonesia, fleeing violence and persecution in Myanmar. They received health screenings, water, and food upon arrival. Since November 2023, over 2,300 refugees on 13 boats have reached Indonesia’s Aceh and North Sumatra provinces. However, more than 500 Rohingya perished or disappeared last year while attempting the perilous sea journey. Local hostility has also led to boats being turned away and protests against refugees. The sea route to Indonesia is among the deadliest globally. Human Rights Watch has urged Indonesia to safeguard the well-being of Rohingya refugees, cease pushbacks, allow disembarkation at safe ports, and investigate online incitement of violence against them.

The international community, including the United States, has imposed sanctions on Myanmar and provided humanitarian aid. However, the response has been criticized as inadequate given the scale of the crisis. Advocacy groups continue to press for greater accountability and support for the Rohingya. Amnesty International’s reports highlight the ongoing demolition of Rohingya villages and the construction of new infrastructure as part of a broader strategy to permanently displace the Rohingya from their ancestral lands.

The Rohingya crisis stands as one of the gravest humanitarian emergencies of our era. The systematic persecution and forced displacement orchestrated by the Myanmar government amount to crimes against humanity, including ethnic cleansing and apartheid. Despite international condemnation and sanctions, the plight of the Rohingya remains dire, with hundreds of thousands languishing in refugee camps under deplorable conditions. The global community must act decisively to ensure justice and human rights for the Rohingya. Without substantial international intervention and a steadfast commitment to upholding human rights, the Rohingya will continue to endure unimaginable suffering and uncertainty. It is imperative that any engagement with Myanmar prioritizes the protection and dignity of the Rohingya people, ensuring a future where they can live freely and securely in their own country.

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Riya Kothavale is a Research Fellow at the Sixteenth Council