Rohingya Refugees Rally on 7th Anniversary, Demand Safe Return to Myanmar

On August 25, 2024, tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees gathered in camps in Bangladesh to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the military crackdown that forced their exodus from Myanmar. The rally highlighted the ongoing plight of over a million Rohingya living in challenging conditions in southern Bangladesh, with little prospect of returning to their homeland.

The Rohingya, a Muslim ethnic minority group in Myanmar, have faced long-standing discrimination and were effectively denied citizenship under Myanmar's 1982 Citizenship Law. This has left them stateless and vulnerable to persecution.

Participants in the rally, ranging from children to the elderly, displayed placards with messages such as "Hope is home" and "We Rohingya are the citizens of Myanmar." Many wore ribbons bearing the words "Rohingya Genocide Remembrance," underscoring the severity of the events that led to their displacement.

Hafizur Rahman, a refugee at the rally, expressed the community's frustration: "Enough is enough. Stop violence and attacks on the Rohingya community."

The situation in Myanmar's Rakhine state has recently deteriorated, with escalating conflicts between the ruling junta's troops and the Arakan Army, an ethnic militia recruiting from the Buddhist majority. This has reportedly led to a new wave of Rohingya fleeing the region in recent weeks.

The United Nations has described the 2017 military-led campaign against the Rohingya as having "genocidal intent." This campaign forced over 73,000 Rohingya to seek refuge in Bangladesh, contributing to what has become one of the fastest-growing refugee crises in recent years.

Bangladesh, already densely populated, has emphasized that repatriating the refugees to Myanmar is the only viable solution. Mohammad Touhid Hossain, the de-facto foreign minister of Bangladesh, stated that the country is not in a position to accept more Rohingya refugees and called for increased international pressure on the Arakan Army to cease attacks on the Rohingya in Rakhine state.

UNICEF has raised alarms about the worsening situation in Rakhine, particularly concerning the impact on children caught in the crossfire. The agency noted that approximately half a million Rohingya refugee children are growing up in the world's largest refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.

"We want to return to our homeland with all the rights. The United Nations should take initiatives to ensure our livelihood and peaceful coexistence with other ethnic communities in Myanmar."

The Rohingya crisis has strained Myanmar's international relations and posed significant challenges for humanitarian organizations providing aid to the refugees. The COVID-19 pandemic has further complicated the situation in the camps, exacerbating existing health and resource concerns.

As the crisis continues, the international community faces mounting pressure to address the Rohingya's plight, ensure their safe return to Myanmar, and facilitate their peaceful coexistence with other ethnic communities. The rally serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggle for rights, safety, and a place to call home for the Rohingya people.