Ensure justice for Rohingyas

Ahead of the eighth anniversary of the atrocities of the Myanmar military against the Rohingyas, 58 rights organisations have called for urgent international action to end impunity and ensure accountability.

"Since August 2017, Myanmar's security forces have razed hundreds of Rohingya villages, killing men, women, and children and forcing more than 700,000 people to flee to Bangladesh. Yet, eight years later, not a single perpetrator has been held accountable," said the organisations.

August 25 marks eight years since the Myanmar military launched atrocities against the Rohingya in Rakhine state.

In a joint statement released yesterday, they recalled that an independent international fact-finding mission had found evidence of genocide and crimes against humanity in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

The statement also highlighted ongoing persecution of Rohingyas who remain in Myanmar, including movement restrictions, food shortages, forced conscription, and abuses by both the junta and the Arakan Army.

The rights groups warned that conditions are worsening in Cox's Bazar, where over one million Rohingya refugees are facing abductions, sexual violence, shrinking aid, and deteriorating health and education services.

"Impunity remains pervasive," the statement said, noting that while the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) are pursuing cases against Myanmar, no concrete accountability has been achieved.

It pointed out that the ICC prosecutor's request for an arrest warrant against Myanmar Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing in November 2024 is still pending.

The groups urged the United Nations Security Council to refer the situation in Myanmar to the ICC and called on UN member states to use universal jurisdiction to prosecute perpetrators of atrocities, as seen in Argentina.

They also raised concerns over the upcoming UN High-level Conference on the Rohingya and other minorities in Myanmar, scheduled for September 30 in New York.

"Rohingya representation is lacking. Survivors, women, youth, and Rohingya-led civil society must be at the forefront of discussions about their future," the statement said.

The signatories further urged host countries, including Bangladesh, to protect the rights of Rohingya refugees, ensuring access to education and livelihoods and safeguarding against forced returns to Myanmar.

"We stand united in our call for an end to impunity, the right of the Rohingya to live in safety and dignity, full recognition of the Rohingya as citizens of Myanmar, and the inclusion of their voices in shaping the country's future," the statement concluded.

The 58 organisations included Amnesty International, Fortify Rights, Human Rights Watch, Burma Campaign UK, European Rohingya Council, Odhikar, Refugees International, Robert F Kennedy Human Rights, and numerous Rohingya-led networks.