UK Rights Group Urges Global Action Over Rohingya Crisis Amid Escalating Violence In Myanmar

A United Kingdom-based rights group has called for urgent international intervention over what it labels an "intensifying genocide" against Myanmar's predominantly Muslim Rohingya minority. This appeal from the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) comes as violent clashes between Myanmar's military and the Arakan Army (AA), a powerful ethnic armed group, escalate in the western Rakhine State.

The conflict has significantly worsened the humanitarian crisis in the region. The United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP) has condemned the looting and burning of its food stores and warehouse in Maungdaw, a coastal town on Myanmar's border with Bangladesh. Maungdaw, primarily home to the Rohingya, has become the epicenter of current hostilities between the military and the AA.

Why This Matters: The AA, representing Rakhine's Buddhist majority, is fighting for regional autonomy. It issued evacuation orders for Maungdaw on June 17, ahead of a planned offensive. According to the UN's human rights chief, this left tens of thousands of Rohingya residents with "nowhere to flee," exacerbating their already precarious situation.

The Rohingya have long faced severe persecution in Myanmar, where they are considered outsiders by the military and many of Rakhine's Buddhist residents. In 2017, a brutal military crackdown forced approximately 750,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh. This crackdown is currently the subject of a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

BROUK's recent report highlights the increased persecution of the estimated 600,000 Rohingya who remain in Rakhine State. The report notes that since fighting between the military and the AA resumed in October, the military, which seized power in a February 2021 coup, has subjected Rohingya to severe deprivation. This includes a lack of access to essential resources such as food, water, shelter, sanitation, and medical care. Additionally, the military has forcibly recruited Rohingya, including children, and sent them to fight against the AA.

Key Takeaways:

• BROUK calls for global action against escalating genocide of Rohingya minority.
• Clashes between Myanmar military and Arakan Army worsen humanitarian crisis.
• UN condemns looting and burning of food stores in conflict-hit Maungdaw.
• Rohingya face severe deprivation and forced recruitment by Myanmar military.
• 2017 military crackdown on Rohingya is subject of genocide case at ICJ.