Rohingya community facing gravest threats since 2017: Amnesty
Amnesty International has reported that the Rohingya community in Myanmar is facing its most severe threat since 2017, as newly arrived refugees in Bangladesh urgently need food, shelter, and medical care following extreme violence.
The recent surge of violence, according to Amnesty, is the worst faced by the Rohingya since the military's campaign against them in 2017, which led to the deaths of approximately 10,000 people, the destruction of over 300 villages, and the displacement of more than 700,000 Rohingya to Bangladesh.
Around 600,000 Rohingya remain in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, where ongoing clashes between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army—a rebel group fighting against the junta—have created an increasingly dangerous environment. Thousands have been displaced internally, and tens of thousands have crossed or are attempting to cross into Bangladesh for safety.
'Once again, the Rohingya are forced to flee from their homes, many suffering tragic losses of loved ones,' said Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard. 'Now, they face persecution not only from the Myanmar military but also from the Arakan Army, which has reportedly conscripted Rohingya men.'
Advocacy groups claim that on August 5, the Arakan Army attacked thousands of refugees in Maungdaw Township, Myanmar, with drone bombs, resulting in around 200 fatalities. For those who manage to reach Bangladesh, conditions remain dire, with many lacking adequate food, shelter, and clothing.
The 2021 military coup in Myanmar has led to extensive human rights violations, with over 5,000 civilian deaths and more than 25,000 arrests since the coup. Amnesty has documented indiscriminate airstrikes, torture, collective punishment, and arbitrary detentions by the military. The violence in Rakhine State, which escalated in November 2023, involves a counter-offensive by the Arakan Army and two other armed groups posing the largest threat to the military since the coup.
Many Rohingya report being targeted by both the Arakan Army and Myanmar's military, leading to tragic fatalities and displacement. The conflict has resulted in allegations of widespread abuses by various armed groups, leaving the Rohingya community trapped and vulnerable amid the fighting.
.png "Advertisement")
