An image of Rohingya Refugee Camp, Cox’s Bazar, in July 2022, captured by Sharif Khiam Ahmed.
By Newsman, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Over 50 human rights and Rohingya organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have called for urgent accountability for atrocities against the Rohingya in Myanmar as the eighth anniversary of the 2017 violence approaches.
The statement, released on August 22, recalls how Myanmar’s military and security forces burned hundreds of villages in northern Rakhine State and carried out mass killings, forcing at least 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh. A UN fact-finding mission previously found evidence of genocide and crimes against humanity.
Eight years on, rights groups say impunity remains entrenched. “No one has been held accountable in Myanmar,” the statement reads, noting that since the 2021 coup, the military junta has intensified abuses through airstrikes, persecution, and the forced recruitment of Rohingya in its conflict with the Arakan Army, which has also faced accusations of severe violations.
Conditions in both Myanmar and Bangladesh remain dire. The groups estimate that more than one million Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar face worsening insecurity, including abductions, sexual violence, and the consequences of international aid cuts. An additional 150,000 Rohingya have fled since mid-2024.
While international legal efforts are underway, including investigations by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), activists warn that progress is too slow. They note that an ICC request for an arrest warrant against Myanmar’s military chief, Min Aung Hlaing, submitted in November 2024, remains pending.
The signatories are pressing the UN Security Council to refer Myanmar to the ICC and calling on member states to pursue universal jurisdiction cases against perpetrators, citing Argentina as a precedent.
Looking ahead, the groups welcomed the upcoming UN General Assembly high-level conference on the Rohingya and other minorities in Myanmar, scheduled for September 30 in New York, but voiced concern over limited Rohingya representation. They urged organizers to prioritize the inclusion of Rohingya women, youth, and civil society voices in the discussions.
“Rohingya community members must be at the center of shaping their future,” the statement insists, demanding restored citizenship rights, durable solutions, and protection for refugees in host countries.
The joint call concludes: “We stand united in our call for an end to impunity, the right of the Rohingya to live in safety and dignity, full recognition as citizens of Myanmar, and the inclusion of their voices in shaping the country’s future.”
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