Rohingya Refugees Commemorate Seventh Anniversary of Myanmar Crackdown

Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh held rallies in camps to mark the seventh anniversary of the military crackdown in Myanmar that led to their forced displacement. Refugees, including children and the elderly, waved placards and chanted slogans in the camps in Cox’s Bazar, demanding an end to violence and a safe return to their homeland.

Many participants wore ribbons emblazoned with the words “Rohingya Genocide Remembrance.” Their placards expressed hopes for peace and recognition of their identity, with messages stating, “Hope is home” and “We Rohingya are the citizens of Myanmar.” One refugee, Hafizur Rahman, emphasized the urgent need to stop violence against the Rohingya community.

The Rohingya, a majority Muslim minority, have faced discrimination and violence in Myanmar for years. In 2017, an estimated 750,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh due to a violent crackdown by the Myanmar military, which is now being investigated at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Recent reports indicate that as fighting escalates between the military regime and the Arakan Army, additional Rohingya are fleeing from Myanmar’s Rakhine state to Bangladesh. The international medical organization Doctors without Borders, known as MSF, reported injuries from mortar shelling and gunfire among its teams in Cox’s Bazar. Over 40 percent of the injured were women and children.

UNICEF has also raised concerns about the deteriorating situation in Rakhine, highlighting reports of civilians, especially children, caught in crossfire. Seven years after the mass exodus, about half a million Rohingya refugee children continue to grow up in the world’s largest refugee camp.

Refugee Mohammed Taher voiced the desire for a return to their homeland, seeking recognition of their rights and calls for the United Nations to ensure their livelihood and peaceful coexistence with other ethnic communities in Myanmar.

Mohammad Touhid Hossain, Bangladesh’s interim foreign minister, recently urged neighboring countries like India to take more action regarding the Rohingya crisis and called for increased international pressure on the Arakan Army to cease its attacks in Rakhine state.

Orla Murphy, MSF’s representative in Bangladesh, emphasized the need to protect civilians caught in Myanmar’s ongoing conflict. She stated that civilians should not suffer from indiscriminate attacks and that those in need of medical care should have access to facilities.

The unrest in Myanmar intensified after the military seized power from the elected government in February 2021, leading to widespread protests that evolved into an armed struggle against the junta.