[🇧🇩] Insurgencies in Myanmar. Implications for Bangladesh

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Arsa leader among five arrested in Cox’s Bazar

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested five people, including a top-level leader of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa), from the Rohingya camp in Ukhiya of Cox’s Bazar. They were arrested during a drive, conducted by RAB-15, in the early hours of Monday. The arrested Arsa leader wa

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Arsa leader among five arrested in Cox's Bazar
Published :
Jun 10, 2024 12:56
Updated :
Jun 10, 2024 12:56

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested five people, including a top-level leader of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa), from the Rohingya camp in Ukhiya of Cox's Bazar.
They were arrested during a drive, conducted by RAB-15, in the early hours of Monday. The arrested Arsa leader was identified as Maulvi Akiz.

Abu Salam Chowdhury, Additional Superintendent of Police and Senior Assistant Director (Law and Media) of RAB-15, confirmed the matter.

The elite force also recovered a cache of weapons, ammunition, and explosives during the drive.​

 

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Myanmar junta orders evacuations around Sittwe

Myanmar’s junta has ordered thousands of people living outside a state capital threatened by ethnic rebels to leave their homes and head into the...

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Myanmar junta orders evacuations around Sittwe
Agence France-Presse . Yangon 15 June, 2024, 00:25

Myanmar's junta has ordered thousands of people living outside a state capital threatened by ethnic rebels to leave their homes and head into the city, residents said on Friday.

Sittwe city is one of the few holdouts for junta troops in western Rakhine state, where the military has lost swathes of territory to the Arakan Army in recent weeks.

The AA, which says it is fighting for autonomy for the state's ethnic Rakhine population, has vowed to capture Sittwe, home to an India-backed deep sea port and around 2,00,000 people.

Residents of 15 villages around Sittwe were given five days to leave their homes and move to the state capital, a resident of one of the villages said.

'The army threatened to shoot and kill if they found someone after the deadline' which expires on Saturday, she said.

A resident of Sittwe put the number of villages ordered to evacuate at around 10, saying that residents had been told 'to move out for security reasons' by Saturday.

The villages were home to around 3,500 people, the Sittwe resident said, requesting anonymity.

They added the military had not arranged for temporary shelters in Sittwe.

'People have to move to their relatives' homes from other villages,' they said.

Local media also reported the order to evacuate villages in the area.

AFP was unable to reach a junta spokesman for comment.

In November, the AA launched a wave of attacks on the military across Rakhine, shattering a ceasefire that had largely held since the military's 2021 coup.

It has since seized territory along the border with India and Bangladesh, piling further pressure on the junta as it battles opponents elsewhere across the Southeast Asian country.

It has also held the town of Pauktaw, around 25 kilometres from Sittwe, since January.

AFP images from the town last month showed gutted buildings, vacant windows and blocks bombed to rubble by the fighting, which has emptied the fishing port of its residents.

This month, the AA said junta troops had killed more than 70 civilians in a raid on Byain Phyu village, north of Sittwe.

The junta said the claim was 'propaganda' and accused AA fighters of launching attacks on Sittwe from surrounding villages.

Phone and internet services have been all but cut off across Rakhine state, making it difficult to verify reports of violence.​

 

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Thousands of Rohingya feared trapped in fighting in western Myanmar

Tens of thousands of Muslim minority Rohingya are feared to be caught in fighting in western Myanmar, as a powerful armed ethnic group bears down on junta positions in a coastal town on the country’s border with Bangladesh. The Arakan Army (AA), which is fighting for autonomy for Myanmar&rsq

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Thousands of Rohingya feared trapped in fighting in western Myanmar
REUTERS
Published :
Jun 17, 2024 11:35
Updated :
Jun 17, 2024 11:35

Rohingya refugees rescued by fishermen are seen on a boat behind a patrol boat near the coast of Seunuddon beach in North Aceh, Indonesia, Jun 24, 2020. Photo : Reuters

Tens of thousands of Muslim minority Rohingya are feared to be caught in fighting in western Myanmar, as a powerful armed ethnic group bears down on junta positions in a coastal town on the country's border with Bangladesh.

The Arakan Army (AA), which is fighting for autonomy for Myanmar's Rakhine region, said late on Sunday that residents of Maungdaw town, inhabited primarily by the Rohingya, should leave by 9 pm ahead of a planned offensive on the settlement.

The AA's attack on Maungdaw is the latest in a months-long rebel onslaught against the Myanmar junta, which took power in a February 2021 coup, and now finds itself in an increasingly weakened position across large parts of the country.

"We are going to attack the remaining posts" of junta, the AA said in a statement, asking residents to stay clear of military positions in Maungdaw for their own safety.

A junta spokesman did not respond to a call seeking comment.

Around 70,000 Rohingya who are currently in Maungdaw are trapped as the fighting draws closer, said Aung Kyaw Moe, the deputy human rights minister in Myanmar's shadow National Unity Government.

"They have no where to run to," he told Reuters.

Thousands of Rohingya fled towards neighbouring Bangladesh last month, seeking safety from the escalating conflict, although the neighbouring country is reluctant to accept more refugees.

Their movement was triggered by battles in and around the town of Buthidaung, around 25 km (15 miles) away to the east of Maungdaw, that was captured by the AA after intense fighting during which the rebel group was accused of targeting the Rohingya community.

The AA denies the allegations.

Rohingya have faced persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar for decades. Nearly a million of them live in refugee camps in Bangladesh's border district of Cox's Bazar after fleeing a military-led crackdown in Rakhine in 2017.​

 

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APHR concerned over Rohingya civilians caught in crossfire in Myanmar’s Rakhine

ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, a regional network for promoting democracy and human rights across Southeast Asia, has expressed concern over media reports that thousands of Rohingya may be caught in the crossfire between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar military junta in Rakhine state...

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APHR concerned over Rohingya civilians caught in crossfire in Myanmar's Rakhine
Staff Correspondent 18 June, 2024, 16:58

ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, a regional network for promoting democracy and human rights across Southeast Asia, has expressed concern over media reports that thousands of Rohingya may be caught in the crossfire between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar military junta in Rakhine state in the ongoing civil war in the Southeast Asian nation.

'We are deeply concerned and alarmed by reports that tens of thousands of Rohingya civilians may be trapped in the fighting between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar military junta in Maungdaw, Rakhine state,' said APHR co-chair and former Malaysian member of parliament, Charles Santiago, in a statement on Tuesday.

The statement mentioned that thousands of Rohingya had already been displaced by escalating fighting in the region since last month and this continued violence would only exacerbate the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Rohingya were subjected to.

'The fact that ASEAN and the international community continue to sit on their hands while countless Rohingya lose their homes and their lives is indefensible. We urge Laos as the ASEAN Chair to push for a cessation of violence so that all civilians can move to safety,' said the APHR co-chair.

He urged the member states of ASEAN and other neighboring countries to allow Rohingyas fleeing the violence safe passage to seek refuge within their borders.

'In 2017, the international community's inaction allowed the Myanmar military junta to commit a genocide against the Rohingya. We simply must not allow history to repeat itself,' Charles Santiago said in the statement.​

 

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UN rights chief: Rohingya have 'nowhere to flee' in western Myanmar fighting

Tens of thousands of Muslim-minority Rohingya, who were feared to be trapped amid fighting in western Myanmar, had nowhere to flee, the United Nations human rights chief said on Tuesday. The Arakan Army, which is fighting for autonomy for Myanmar's Rakhine region, said late on Sunday that resident

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UN rights chief: Rohingya have 'nowhere to flee' in western Myanmar fighting
Published :
Jun 18, 2024 22:22
Updated :
Jun 18, 2024 22:22

Tens of thousands of Muslim-minority Rohingya, who were feared to be trapped amid fighting in western Myanmar, had nowhere to flee, the United Nations human rights chief said on Tuesday.

The Arakan Army, which is fighting for autonomy for Myanmar's Rakhine region, said late on Sunday that residents of the town of Maungdaw, inhabited primarily by the Rohingya, should leave by 9:00 pm (1430 GMT) ahead of a planned offensive.

"I am very concerned about the situation in Maungdaw. The Arakan Army this weekend gave all remaining residents – including a large Rohingya population – a warning to evacuate," Volker Turk, the UN high commissioner for human rights, told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

"But Rohingya have no options. There is nowhere to flee."

The Rohingya have faced persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar for decades. Nearly a million of them live in refugee camps in Bangladesh's border district of Cox's Bazar after fleeing a military-led crackdown in Rakhine state on the western coast in 2017.

The Arakan Army's attack on Maungdaw is the latest in a months-long rebel onslaught against the Myanmar junta, which took power in a February 2021 coup and is finding its position increasingly weakened across large parts of the country.

Around 70,000 Rohingya in Maungdaw are trapped as the fighting draws closer, Aung Kyaw Moe, deputy human rights minister in the shadow National Unity Government, told Reuters on Monday.

A resident of Maungdaw who declined to be named for safety reasons said: "We have nowhere to go, no safe zone, not enough food and basic necessities."

"If they force us to leave, we will have no place to migrate."

An Arakan Army spokesman did not immediately respond to calls and a message seeking comment.​

 

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Dhaka warns Myanmar military, Arakan army: HM

Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Thursday said that Bangladesh conveyed its concern to Myanmar military and Arakan army with a strong note that...

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Dhaka warns Myanmar military, Arakan army: HM
Agencies 21 June, 2024, 01:03

Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan. | File photo

Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Thursday said that Bangladesh conveyed its concern to Myanmar military and Arakan army with a strong note that Bangladesh would retaliate if they fire into Bangladesh territory further, reports BSS.

'Otherwise, we will respond to their firing. If we are attacked, we will respond to that attack,' he told reporters replying to a query at his secretariat office here.

Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said that Myanmar had some internal crises and the country had different ethnic groups.

There are conflicts among them, he said, adding, 'So far we heard that the Arakan army has grabbed many areas of the Arakan state. For this, many members of the Border Guard of Police of Myanmar have fled and came to Bangladesh.'

'Occasionally, by mistake, they (Myanmar military or Arakan army) have opened fire on our Border Guard Bangladesh. We have conveyed our concern to them. They said if we clearly display the Bangladeshi flag on our vessels, no one will fire at them,' he said.

The home minister said that due to poor navigability at certain points of the Naf River, reaching Saint Martin's Island from Teknaf became a challenge by boats.

It forces Bangladeshi boats to navigate those parts through Myanmar waters, leading to incidents where the Myanmar military or the Arakan army opens fire, he said.

Kamal said that the situation had improved recently.

The home minister said that currently, they were not shooting at boats on Bangladeshi waters. 'The two ships (positioned on the Naf River) on the Myanmar side have been withdrawn,' he said.

'We hope that there will be no further gunfire incidents. Nonetheless, those who cross the area are taking necessary precautions,' the home minister added.

The minister said that current discussions about ex-Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia's graft allegation appeared to be based on speculation, reports UNB.

Speaking to journalists at the secretariat, the home minister said, 'As far as I know, the discussions are speculative. No formal allegations have been brought against him yet. Regarding the claims about his illegal properties, he has not been summoned yet. If he is summoned, we will understand, and surely he will have some explanations.'

Talking about ex-IGP Benazir Ahmed he said, 'The value of land has increased significantly. Benazir Ahmed was on a mission for a long time. He might have explanations. If he cannot provide explanations, then questions of corruption will arise,' he said.

Regarding the ongoing investigation into the murder of MP Anar, the home minister said that they were very close in the investigation.

'Once the investigation is complete, we will be able to reveal everything. The Detective Branch is working correctly and independently,' he said.​

 

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Dhaka should put in more effort to end Rohingya miseries

MORE than half a million children out of an estimated 1.2 million Rohingyas now living in 33 camps in Cox’s Bazar and on Bhasan Char are reported to be...

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Dhaka should put in more effort to end Rohingya miseries
21 June, 2024, 00:00

MORE than half a million children out of an estimated 1.2 million Rohingyas now living in 33 camps in Cox's Bazar and on Bhasan Char are reported to be passing their days disappointed, with almost no future to look forward to. Many of them born into the limbo after the 2017 exodus, when a huge number of Rohingyas started fleeing Myanmar military violence, do not have any past in Rakhine to fall back on. Most of the Rohingyas have no legal identity or citizenship in Myanmar. While this state of being stateless remains a concern and the Rohingyas in Bangladesh camps are provided bare minimum services, children are faced with inadequate educational and recreational opportunities and risks related to exploitation and violence. Heavy monsoon and cyclones also expose them to substantial risks. In the camps in Cox's Bazar, keeping to United Nations Children's Fund data, there are 3,565 learning centres — 3,056 supported by the UN agency and 3,056 supported by education-sector partners — in addition to 31 cross-sectoral shared spaces used for education and 2,233 community-based learning facilities. UNICEF says that it can provide formal education and alternative learning, based on the Myanmar curriculum, roughly to 260,000 children.

This appears inadequate as about a half of the Rohingya children living in shelters in Bangladesh are left out of education. UNICEF says that it is trying to ensure that children should have the desired level of learning and skills. But UNICEF data also show that many children, especially in the 3–5 and 15–18 age groups, are still out of school. With no scope for further learning, Rohingya children can now complete education up to Class X. UNICEF says that it would offer education of Class XI in the 2024–25 academic year and of Class XII the next academic year. It is feared, in such a situation, that many children of school-going age having been left out of school could be drawn into violence. Some of them say that they live in constant fear as they have seen people often being kidnapped or killed. Sixty-four Rohingyas, keeping to Rapid Action Battalion data, were killed in camps in 2023 and 20 were killed until the first week of June in 2024. No open spaces for them to play outdoors has compounded the problem. Most of the Rohingyas worry about the future of their children as such a situation has forced many Rohingyas to resort to counselling in hospitals running inside the camps. A psychologist working in a clinic that the UN Refugee Agency and Gonoshasthaya Kendra runs in a camp says that five to seven Rohingyas visit the clinic for counselling on an average every day. With the world attention rapidly shifting from one crisis to another and the global focus on the Rohingya crisis fading away, there is hardly any end in sight to the problem.

While Bangladesh should, therefore, arrange for more recreational facilities and widen education coverage for a sustainable future for the Rohingya children, the authorities must step up efforts on world and regional forums to resolve the crisis.​

 

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International community for immediate solution to Rohingya crisis

International community urged all to expedite efforts to resolve the Rohingya crisis. In a statement, issued to mark World Refugee Day, they said, “We stand in solidarity with the more than 120 million people, that is 1 in 69, worldwide, who are forcibly displaced due to conflict, violence,

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International community for immediate solution to Rohingya crisis
Published :
Jun 20, 2024 20:35
Updated :
Jun 20, 2024 20:35

In a statement, issued to mark World Refugee Day, they said, "We stand in solidarity with the more than 120 million people, that is 1 in 69, worldwide, who are forcibly displaced due to conflict, violence, and persecution."

"Among these individuals are over 1 million Rohingyas, who fled from their homes in Myanmar and sought refuge in Bangladesh," the statement, which was circulated by the US Embassy in Dhaka, said.

"We appreciate the Government of Bangladesh for continuing to host the Rohingya in their time of need. We also continue to honour the incredible resilience and strength of spirit of the Rohingya people in adversity."

"We all continue to make dedicated efforts to provide essential services for Rohingya refugees, and Bangladesh's host communities," it said, adding that the international community continues to advocate for global attention for this protracted crisis, amid emerging new crises and growing global humanitarian need.

"In the camps, improved opportunities for refugees to pursue meaningful education and livelihoods could build essential resilience and self-reliance."

"This is important to overcome cycles of poverty and marginalisation for future generations."

The hope remains that safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable repatriation will be possible for Rohingya refugees in the long term, they said.

"However, the escalating conflict and deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Myanmar mean that this is unlikely in the near future. We remain deeply concerned by the worsening situation in Rakhine State and the cross-border implications. Today we reiterate the importance of protecting all civilians."

"At the Global Refugee Forum in December 2023, we made a collective pledge to share global responsibility and enhance partnerships to address the complexities of forced displacement."

It said that the international community is committed to ensuring a better and more dignified life for the Rohingyas while they remain in Bangladesh.

"We will continue to pursue regional coordination and collective efforts towards sustainable solutions for Rohingya refugees, partnering with the Government of Bangladesh."​