ARNA Welcomes Adoption of the Third Committee Resolution on Rohingya Rights

Press Release

ARNA Welcomes Adoption of the Third Committee Resolution on Rohingya Rights

Date: December 2, 2024

The Arakan Rohingya National Alliance (ARNA) warmly welcomes the adoption of the Third Committee Resolution under Agenda Item 71(c) on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, specifically addressing the Situation of Human Rights of Rohingya Muslims and Other Minorities in Myanmar.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the European Union (EU) for tabling this important resolution and demonstrating unwavering commitment to addressing the plight of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar.

This resolution highlights critical priorities, including:

• The organization of a high-level conference in 2025 to develop innovative, concrete, and time-bound plans for a sustainable resolution to the Rohingya crisis. ARNA welcomes the focus of the conference on the Rohingya while also noting its inclusive scope to address the rights and needs of other minorities in Myanmar. This inclusive approach offers an important opportunity to engage meaningfully with minority groups across Myanmar. ARNA recognizes the potential for this engagement, including with other minorities, and fully supports efforts to realize this goal.
• Strengthening the UN’s on-ground coordination in Myanmar through the potential designation of a resident coordinator to ensure efficiency and coherence in addressing human rights challenges.
• Renewed emphasis on ensuring the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees.
• Regular reporting by the Special Envoy to ensure continued attention to the crisis and accountability for all stakeholders involved.
• Enhanced Humanitarian Assistance: The resolution emphasizes the need for:
  • Rapid, full, safe, and unhindered access for humanitarian actors to deliver aid based on the principles of humanity, neutrality, and impartiality.
  • Addressing food insecurity and ensuring critical supplies reach displaced persons and those in precarious conditions to prevent hunger-induced displacement.
  • Comprehensive support services for vulnerable groups, including women, children, older persons, and persons with disabilities, with particular focus on victims of sexual and gender-based violence and human trafficking.
  • Exploring humanitarian corridors to facilitate the delivery of essential goods and services, including food, water, and medicine.
  • Adequate funding for humanitarian efforts, including the 2024 Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis.
  • Continued international support for Rohingya refugees, particularly in Cox’s Bazar and Bhashan Char, and equitable burden-sharing through initiatives like the Global Refugee Forum.

The resolution reflects the international community’s collective commitment to human rights and justice, offering hope for tangible progress toward resolving the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar.

ARNA stands ready to support the implementation of this resolution and contribute to the high-level conference and other initiatives outlined within it. We will continue to work with the United Nations, OIC, EU, and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that the aspirations and rights of the Rohingya people are upheld.

We urge the international community to sustain its solidarity and transform these commitments into actionable outcomes for the Rohingya and other affected minorities.

For further inquiries, please contact:
secretariat@thearna.org