Geneva, 24 Aug, 2023 (GNP): On the sixth anniversary of the start of a devastating military offensive against Myanmar’s Rohingya minority, UN human rights Chief Volker Türk has reiterated the urgent call for accountability and justice. The Rohingya, driven from their homes in Myanmar by security forces in 2017, continue to suffer the consequences of what has been termed as “textbook” ethnic cleansing.
#Myanmar: 6 years after military’s brutal campaign against #Rohingya, @volker_turk calls on States to support ongoing int’l efforts to hold military to account for decades-long persecution, & for driving country into its current human rights & humanitarian crisis.… pic.twitter.com/O8lgnIx5sZ
— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) August 24, 2023
This solemn occasion brings attention to the immense suffering endured by the Rohingya people. Over 10,000 Rohingya individuals, including men, women, children, and newborns, lost their lives during the offensive. Additionally, more than 300 villages were razed to the ground, and over 700,000 Rohingya were forced to flee to Bangladesh in search of safety, adding to the thousands who had fled earlier persecutions.
The then High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra‘ad al-Hussein, unequivocally condemned the brutal campaign to uproot the Rohingya from their homes as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing.” Despite international condemnation and appeals, the Rohingya community remains vulnerable, and their plight persists.
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In a statement, Mr. Türk expressed his “most fervent wish” for the Rohingya to be able to return to their homes, living in safety, dignity, and freedom as recognized citizens of Myanmar, with their human rights fully respected. However, he highlighted the reality that the precarious conditions in Rakhine State prevent this, and the military has shown no willingness to address systematic discrimination against the Rohingya.
Renewing the call for accountability, the UN rights chief urged the international community to continue supporting Rohingya refugees and their host communities in Bangladesh, especially as humanitarian assistance funds dwindle. He emphasized the need to hold the military accountable for their repeated campaigns of persecution against the Rohingya and to address the ongoing human rights and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar.
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Tom Andrews, the Special Rapporteur on the situation in Myanmar, further urged world leaders to take action against those responsible for the violence. He called for justice for the Rohingya and emphasized that accountability should reach the highest levels, including those in leadership positions.
The international community was chided for not doing enough to fulfill its responsibilities to the Rohingya, with Mr. Andrews noting the absence of a Security Council referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC) despite compelling evidence of atrocity crimes.
Underscoring the need for tangible action by the international community for Rohingya, Andrew said, “They need and deserve the world to end the deadly paralysis of indifference. We cannot let another year go by without principled and decisive action to support justice and accountability for the Rohingya.”