Today marks the ninth anniversary of the 2017 genocide against the Rohingya in Rakhine state.
This Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day stands as a crucial moment to not only look back at the atrocities that have occurred against the Rohingya in the past, but also a persecution that has continued since.
As the conflict between the Arakan Army and Burmese military junta rages on, the Rohingya face a nexus of atrocities perpetrated by both sides.
Reminiscent of the Burmese Army’s genocidal campaign in 2017, the Arakan Army has targeted Rohingya populated areas in Rakhine state since 2024. Rohingya in these areas have been subjected to grave atrocities, including arson attacks, forced transfer and demographic change, torture, arbitrary arrest and detention, forced labour and recruitment, sexual and gender-based violence, along with massacres of hundreds of Rohingya.
At the same time, the junta commits atrocity crimes against the Rohingya during what they maintain are defensive actions against the enemy. Like the Arakan Army, these crimes constitute rape, looting, forced displacement, mass-killings and forced recruitment. The junta also maintains apartheid-like conditions in Sittwe and other junta-controlled territories.
Both sides’ actions appear to be part of an effort at erasing the identity of the Rohingya: physically, socially and culturally.
Consequently, besides violent acts, Rohingya are also subjected to systematic barriers to their continued survival. This is due to restrictions on their ability to create a livelihood, barriers to aid and vital resources, and overall conditions degrading the quality of life.
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The vulnerabilities of Rohingya in this situation make international response imperative. The patterns of persecution in the past persist today because perpetrators of genocide have not been held accountable.
To end the patterns of persecution the Rohingya face, effective accountability measures must be put into place. For changes to occur, legal and political responses must demonstrate that what has occurred will not be tolerated nor be allowed to continue.
The perpetrators of the genocide in Myanmar and the ongoing crimes against the Rohingya, including the Arakan Army and the Burmese military junta, should be processed.
A necessary step for this accountability would be the expedition of the international justice process, including the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice processes, as Rohingya face increasing vulnerability.
The UN Security Council should refer the situation of Myanmar to the ICC in order to prosecute the entirety of the crimes committed under the Rome Statute.
Besides accountability, humanitarian aid must be increased as Rohingya internally and externally suffer under life-threatening conditions.
Inside Myanmar, conflict and barriers to resources such as blockages to aid have left many Rohingya in jeopardy of disease and famine. Cross-border aid should be enabled with support from the international community and local civil society.
Outside of Myanmar, in refugee camps, aid has to be given to support better infrastructure and create proper habitation.
Additional aid must be given to establish opportunities for Rohingya refugees. Education for children, programmes aimed at promoting skills to build livelihoods and founding services to protect the most vulnerable in camps, particularly women and children, are all critical.
Protections must also be put into place to serve Rohingya seeking refuge, including by taking measures against human trafficking networks according to the Bali Process, as well as cracking down on hate speech.
Ultimately, for change to occur the international community must involve the voices of the Rohingya, who are the greatest stakeholders in plans for Myanmar’s future.
The Rohingya once again face an existential threat, and unless a new approach is taken, history will continue to repeat itself. – Women’s Peace Network
The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.
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