Secretary-General Calls for Renewed Global Action as Rohingya Face Deepening Insecurity Nine Years after Mass Displacement

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

Nearly a decade since the horrific events of 2017, the Secretary-General calls for renewed global attention and action to the plight of the Rohingya.

Rohingya people in Myanmar, Bangladesh and across the region face deepening insecurity, shrinking protection space and diminishing prospects for durable solutions, exacerbated by funding cuts impacting life-saving assistance.

In Myanmar, Rohingya and other communities remain caught in conflict and displacement, facing grave human rights violations and other abuses, including by the Myanmar military, Arakan Army and others.  Hundreds of civilians continue to be killed every year, while movement and humanitarian access remain restricted.  Rohingya are also exposed to forced recruitment, arbitrary arrests and sexual violence.

The Secretary-General reiterates his call for the protection of civilians in accordance with applicable obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international humanitarian law and international refugee law.

The Secretary-General appreciates the continued hospitality of Bangladesh and other refugee-hosting countries and calls on all States to provide protection to those fleeing Myanmar.  He is alarmed by the increasing number of Rohingya perishing at sea and urges regional cooperation on search and rescue, safe disembarkation and action against human trafficking.  He is deeply troubled by rising misinformation, disinformation and hate speech targeting Rohingya in Myanmar and other countries in the region.

The Secretary-General urges the international community to strengthen collective action to support an inclusive and comprehensive political solution that addresses the root causes of the protracted crisis in Myanmar.  His Special Envoy on Myanmar, Julie Bishop, continues to engage all stakeholders toward the cessation of violence and advancing an inclusive Myanmar-led and Myanmar-owned political process.

Until conditions allow for voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable returns of the Rohingya, he calls for the international community to continue to provide humanitarian assistance, alongside livelihood opportunities and self-reliance support.