UN reports mass exodus of Rohingya amid new wave of violence in Myanmar

Asia-Pacific, News May 25, 2024 , by IRIA No Comments

The United Nations has issued a grave warning about the escalating violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, where intensifying clashes have forced approximately 45,000 Rohingya, a minority group, to flee their homes.

This alarming situation, marked by serious allegations of extrajudicial killings and widespread property destruction, underscores the deepening humanitarian crisis in the region.

“Tens of thousands of civilians have been displaced in recent days by the fighting in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships,” UN rights office spokesperson Elizabeth Throssell told reporters in Geneva. “An estimated 45,000 Rohingya have reportedly fled to an area on the Naf River near the border with Bangladesh, seeking protection,” she added.

Myanmar’s Rakhine State has long been a hotspot of ethnic and political conflict. The Rohingya, a Muslim minority in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar, have endured systemic discrimination and statelessness. Their plight has worsened with the ongoing conflict between the Myanmar military, known as the Tatmadaw, and the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group seeking greater autonomy for the Rakhine people.

Myanmar Soldiers — *^{Soldiers stand next to military vehicles as people gather to protest against the military coup, in Yangon, Myanmar, on February 15, 2021. (Image Credit: Reuters)}*

The recent surge in violence, characterized by brutal military tactics, has severely impacted civilian populations in the region. Reports indicate that Myanmar’s military has engaged in indiscriminate attacks, leading to significant civilian casualties and the destruction of homes and villages. The Arakan Army activities have also contributed to the instability, further endangering local communities.

The Arakan Army claims to be fighting for greater autonomy for the ethnic Rakhine population in the state, which also houses approximately 600,000 Rohingya Muslims. In 2017, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya were forced to flee Rakhine during a military crackdown that is now being examined in a United Nations genocide court case. “Over a million Rohingya are already in Bangladesh, having fled past purges,” Throssell pointed out.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has been urging neighboring Bangladesh and other countries to support the fleeing refugees. Throssell also urged international regional communities “to provide effective protection to those seeking it, in line with international law, and to ensure international solidarity with Bangladesh in hosting Rohingya refugees in Myanmar,”

#Myanmar: frightening accounts of killing and burning in northern Rakhine State. Tens of thousands displaced. @Volker_Turk calls for immediate end to violence & protection of Rohingya. Aid must be allowed to flow.
— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) May 24, 2024

Throssell also warned of “clear and present risks of a serious expansion of violence” in Rakhine. She pointed to the beginning of a battle for Maungdaw town, where the military has outposts and where a large Rohingya community lives.

“In this appalling situation, civilians are once more victimized, killed, their properties destroyed and looted, their demands for safety and security ignored,” she said. “They are again forced to flee their homes in a recurring nightmare of suffering.”

The UN’s latest call to action serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing suffering in Myanmar and the critical necessity for global solidarity and decisive action. The international community must continue to advocate for peace, protection, and humanitarian assistance to alleviate the crisis and pave the way for a more stable and just future for all affected populations.

📢 Latest Humanitarian Update is out
🚨 Fighting intensifying in Rakhine as water scarcity worsens
🆘Almost 1M people reached with assistance in Q1
💰 Urgent funding needed to assist 5.3M people
👉 https://t.co/srzdjm7cEG pic.twitter.com/6FintKzj7m
— OCHA Myanmar (@ochamyanmar) May 24, 2024