Rohingya refugees told United Nations officials on Tuesday about persistent violence and obstacles preventing their return to Myanmar's Rakhine State. Maung Sawyeddollah displayed photographs of civilians killed in an Arakan Army drone strike on Aug. 5, 2024, and described the attacks as part of a systematic campaign against the Muslim minority group. Approximately 750,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar in 2017 amid a military crackdown that is subject to a UN genocide case.
Wai Wai Nu from the Women's Peace Network testified that Myanmar's military junta blocks humanitarian aid, uses Rohingya as human shields, and maintains systematic oppression. The Arakan Army employs similar tactics against Rohingya populations, she said. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi noted that 1.2 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh face reduced international assistance. Fighting between Myanmar's military and ethnic armed groups has intensified since a 2021 coup, making return impossible for displaced populations.
Wai Wai Nu from the Women's Peace Network testified that Myanmar's military junta blocks humanitarian aid, uses Rohingya as human shields, and maintains systematic oppression. The Arakan Army employs similar tactics against Rohingya populations, she said. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi noted that 1.2 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh face reduced international assistance. Fighting between Myanmar's military and ethnic armed groups has intensified since a 2021 coup, making return impossible for displaced populations.
