Amnesty International has reported that newly arrived Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are in desperate need of food, shelter, and medical aid after enduring severe violence and displacement from Myanmar. This recent wave of violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State mirrors the brutality of the 2017 military-led crackdown, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 10,000 Rohingya, the destruction of over 300 villages, and the displacement of more than 700,000 people to Bangladesh.

Around 600,000 Rohingya remain in Rakhine, caught in escalating conflicts between Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army, a rebel group. The clashes have forced thousands more Rohingya from their homes, with many crossing into Bangladesh or waiting at the border.

“Once again, the Rohingya people are being driven from their homes and dying in scenes tragically reminiscent of the 2017 exodus. We met people who told us they lost parents, siblings, spouses, children and grandchildren as they fled fighting in Myanmar. But this time, they are facing persecution on two fronts, from the rebel Arakan Army and the Myanmar military, which is forcibly conscripting Rohingya men,” Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, said.

Rohingya advocacy groups claim that on August 5, the Arakan Army used drones to attack a group of refugees at a beach in Maungdaw Township, killing around 200 people. Survivors arriving in Bangladesh report severe shortages of food, clothing, and basic shelter. Some who attempted the dangerous crossing drowned at sea.

Amnesty International interviewed 22 recently arrived refugees, who described indiscriminate air strikes by the Myanmar military and attacks by the Arakan Army that targeted both Rohingya and ethnic Rakhine civilians. Allegations indicate that Rohingya fleeing Myanmar are also being forcibly recruited by the military under a new national conscription law. This has created further tension, with Amnesty noting that some Rohingya are now facing persecution from both the Myanmar military and ethnic Rakhine forces.

The ongoing violence and displacement have left the Rohingya community increasingly vulnerable, as both sides in the conflict continue to commit human rights abuses. In response, Amnesty and other humanitarian organizations are calling for immediate international intervention to address the urgent humanitarian needs of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
 

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