Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, 25 August 2024 – Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR) joins the global community in commemorating the lives lost and the ongoing plight of the Rohingya. 25 August of this year marks seven years since the Myanmar military launched a widespread and systematic assault that forced more than 740,000 Rohingya women, men, and children to flee from northern Rakhine State to neighbouring Bangladesh. Taking into account previous waves of violence against them, an estimated one million Rohingya refugees now reside in Bangladesh.
“We remember the atrocities, yet we also recognise the Rohingya community’s resilience,” said Maria Begum, Rohingya Inclusion Coordinator at AJAR. “We stand with them in their pursuit of justice, accountability, and a safe return home.” Since 2019, AJAR and its partners in Bangladesh have been working closely with Rohingya survivors in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazaar, focusing on psycho-social help with learning and empowerment to help build solidarity to strengthen a multi-ethnic movement for justice.
In recent months, Rohingya communities in Rakhine State have been increasingly at risk from armed clashes. Earlier this month, it was reported that nearly 180 people were killed following drone strikes in Maungdaw town near the Bangladesh border. Since November 2023, the escalating conflict has displaced an estimated 327,000 people in Rakhine State and Paletwa Township in Chin, pushing the total number of internally displaced people in Rakhine State alone to well over half a million. Meanwhile, the military junta has ramped up its blockages of humanitarian aid as a form of collective punishment, which is in violation of international humanitarian law and contrary to the 2022 United Nations Security Council resolution and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) five-point consensus.
Bangladesh continues to shoulder the burden of hosting nearly one million Rohingya refugees in camps, where conditions have steadily deteriorated over the past seven years. The recent appointment of Mohammed Yunus as interim prime minister brings both hope and uncertainty regarding the future of the Rohingya crisis. The interim administration will need to navigate the complex challenge of addressing the Rohingya’s immediate humanitarian needs while also fostering social cohesion and economic development in the communities hosting them.
Despite the meager international response to the 2017 violence and the continued impunity for those responsible, there have been notable steps towards justice for the Rohingya. In June this year, an Argentine prosecutor requested arrest warrants for 25 Myanmar political and military figures, filed under the principle of universal jurisdiction. In July, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accepted interventions from seven governments in Gambia’s case against Myanmar under the Genocide Convention, with hearings expected in 2025. At the same time, the International Criminal Court (ICC) continues its investigation, though its jurisdiction is constrained by Myanmar’s non-ratification of the ICC Statute.
On this Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day, amidst all these developments, we urge the interim administration in Bangladesh to prioritise the implementation of stronger safeguards for the Rohingya population, ensuring their access to fundamental rights and essential services while the international community works towards a long-term solution. Bangladesh has yet to ratify the 1951 Refugee Convention and its protocol, which makes no clear protection and security for the Rohingya refugees in the country.
Additionally, we call upon the international community to maintain its support for Bangladesh by providing humanitarian assistance and actively working towards creating conditions that enable the safe, voluntary, and dignified repatriation of Rohingya refugees.
AJAR remains committed to working with Rohingya communities and partners to advance justice and accountability for the genocide. We will continue to support Rohingya-led documentation efforts, advocate for international legal mechanisms, and empower Rohingya voices to be heard.