By Ro Anis
January 24, 2025, Cox’s Bazar: This newsletter provides an update on the urgent situation facing the Rohingya people in Rakhine State, Myanmar, and the challenges faced by Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh in January 2025. It highlights the ongoing human rights abuses faced by the Rohingya population and the crucial work of the Rohingya Human Rights Center (RHRC) in documenting these violations.
Life for Rohingya in Rakhine State remains extremely difficult. They face severe restrictions on their movement, including curfews and forced labor. Armed groups, such as the Arakan Army, demand large sums of money from those trying to flee and force many to work against their will. For instance, between January 8th and 11th, the AA forced 100 to 300 Rohingya to work daily, including unloading goods from detained cargo ships. In January, the AA made hundreds of Rohingya forced labourers on a daily basis, according to local sources. The Myanmar military continues its violent campaign, with airstrikes tragically resulting in the deaths of many civilians. For example, on January 8th, an airstrike on Kyauk Ni Maw village killed 41 people and injured 52, mostly Rohingya. The humanitarian situation in Rakhine State is dire. IDPs in Pauktaw’s Nauk Ywe camp have faced severe food shortages and lack of aid, leaving them on the brink of starvation.
The Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, are home to the world’s largest refugee population. However, life in these camps has been incredibly challenging in January as before. Devastating fires, both accidental and intentional, have destroyed many homes and displaced thousands of people. Kidnappings have become increasingly common, causing immense fear and trauma within the refugee community. Children and youths have been particularly vulnerable to these crimes, and their families had to struggle to manage ransoms for their releases. According to local sources, some of the kidnapped individuals have been brutally killed as their families were not able to pay ransoms.
In January 2025, a total of 94 Rohingya were forcibly pushed back from Bangladesh to Myanmar while they tried to flee the persecution in Rakhine State and take refuge in Bangladesh. In the meantime, 460 Rohingya arrived in neighboring countries like Malaysia and Indonesia through irregular migration. Sadly, 10 lives were lost during these perilous journeys.
The Rohingya Human Rights Center (RHRC) plays a vital role in documenting the human rights abuses faced by the Rohingya people. In January 2025, RHRC began crucial documentary research in a Rohingya village of Maungdaw. This involved gathering testimonies from 12 individuals who had witnessed or experienced the recent violences and human rights violations committed by the AA and Myanmar military. These included eyewitnesses, people who were injured, and family members of those killed. RHRC is committed to prepare their first quarterly human rights report by the end of March, 2025.
The situation for the Rohingya people remains dire. The ongoing violence and human rights abuses in Rakhine State, coupled with the immense challenges faced by refugees in Cox’s Bazar, demand urgent international attention and action. RHRC’s work in documenting these abuses is crucial for raising awareness, holding perpetrators accountable, and advocating for a just and lasting solution to this crisis.