By Nora Bibi
Kyaw Hla Aung was one of the most prominent Rohingya human rights defenders, lawyers, and political activists in modern Rohingya history. For decades, he dedicated his life to defending the rights, identity, dignity, and citizenship of the Rohingya people despite imprisonment, persecution, harassment, and systemic discrimination. His unwavering commitment to justice and equality earned him international recognition and the deep respect of Rohingya communities around the world.
Kyaw Hla Aung was born on 16 August 1940 in Sittwe, historically known as Akyab, in present-day Rakhine State during the British colonial period. His birth name was Muhammad Kasim. He came from a respected family; his father, U Yusuf, served for many years as Head Clerk in the state court system, while his mother was Daw Gul Badan. Growing up in an educated household shaped his early understanding of justice, public service, and the rule of law.
He completed his early education in Sittwe, where Rohingya Muslims at the time actively participated in social, educational, and administrative life. In 1960, he began working in Myanmar’s judicial system as a court clerk and stenographer. During his years in the courts, he witnessed increasing discrimination against Rohingya Muslims under successive military governments. These experiences inspired him to study law so that he could defend vulnerable communities through legal means.
After years of legal training, Kyaw Hla Aung qualified as a lawyer in 1982, a period when Myanmar’s political environment had become increasingly repressive, particularly toward ethnic and religious minorities. Rohingya communities faced growing restrictions on movement, education, citizenship, and land ownership. As a lawyer, he represented Rohingya farmers, families, and ordinary citizens facing land confiscation and other forms of state persecution.
In 1986, when authorities began confiscating Rohingya-owned land in Rakhine State, Kyaw Hla Aung represented affected farmers and filed legal appeals challenging the seizures. His efforts drew the attention of the authorities, leading to his arrest and imprisonment in Yangon. He spent nearly two years in prison because of his peaceful legal and political activities. Following the nationwide pro-democracy uprising in 1988, he was released and returned to Sittwe, where he resumed both his legal practice and human rights advocacy.
After his release, Kyaw Hla Aung became actively involved in Rohingya political participation and Myanmar’s broader pro-democracy movement. He co-founded the National Democratic Party for Human Rights (NDPHR), a Rohingya-led political party that advocated for democracy, equal rights, and citizenship recognition for the Rohingya.
Ahead of Myanmar’s 1990 general election, he was nominated as a parliamentary candidate. Before he could participate in the electoral process, however, military authorities arrested him again. He was subsequently sentenced to 14 years in prison, effectively preventing his participation in the country’s democratic transition.
His years in prison became one of the defining chapters of his life. Despite harsh conditions, repeated interrogations, and political repression, Kyaw Hla Aung remained committed to peaceful activism and the pursuit of justice through legal means. In total, he spent approximately twelve years behind bars because of his efforts to defend the rights of the Rohingya and challenge discriminatory government policies. Human rights organizations later recognized him as both a political prisoner and a prisoner of conscience.
Following his release under a government amnesty in 1997, Kyaw Hla Aung resumed his social and humanitarian work despite continued surveillance, restrictions, and repeated harassment by the authorities. He worked to improve access to education, healthcare, legal awareness, and humanitarian assistance for Rohingya communities across Rakhine State. He also collaborated with international humanitarian organizations supporting vulnerable and displaced populations in Myanmar.
As the Rohingya crisis gained greater international attention during the 2010s, Kyaw Hla Aung emerged as one of the community’s most respected voices. Through interviews with international media outlets and human rights organizations, he consistently spoke out against statelessness, discrimination, communal violence, and the systematic restrictions imposed on the Rohingya. He argued that the Rohingya are an indigenous community of Myanmar and repeatedly called for the restoration of their citizenship, equal rights, and human dignity.
The persecution of the Rohingya also profoundly affected his own life. During the violence in Rakhine State, his home was destroyed, forcing him to live in Thet Kae Pyin Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp near Sittwe alongside thousands of other displaced Rohingya. Even under extremely difficult conditions, he continued to organize humanitarian assistance and advocate for improved access to education and healthcare. His resilience and selflessness made him a symbol of hope for many within the Rohingya community.
In 2018, Kyaw Hla Aung was awarded the prestigious Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity in recognition of his decades-long commitment to human rights and justice. The award honored his courage, humanitarian service, and peaceful advocacy on behalf of persecuted communities. Rather than keeping the financial award for himself, he directed it toward humanitarian initiatives benefiting Rohingya refugees, further strengthening his reputation as a leader dedicated to serving his people above personal interests.
His international recognition continued in 2019, when Fortune included him among the “World’s Greatest Leaders.” Human rights organizations, academics, journalists, and humanitarian groups widely regarded him as one of the most influential Rohingya advocates for justice, equality, and peaceful resistance.
Despite decades of imprisonment, displacement, and persecution, Kyaw Hla Aung never abandoned his commitment to nonviolence. Throughout his life, he promoted legal reform, education, peaceful coexistence, and democratic change rather than hatred or revenge. His speeches and interviews reflected both the deep suffering endured by the Rohingya people and his enduring belief that justice could ultimately be achieved through peaceful means.
Kyaw Hla Aung was married and had seven children. His family endured years of displacement, economic hardship, and political persecution because of his activism, yet they remained steadfast in supporting his lifelong struggle for justice and human dignity.
In his later years, deteriorating health required medical treatment outside Rakhine State. He eventually relocated to Yangon while continuing to follow developments affecting displaced Rohingya communities with deep concern. On 31 July 2021, Kyaw Hla Aung passed away in Botahtaung Township, Yangon. His death was widely mourned by Rohingya communities, human rights defenders, humanitarian organizations, and supporters around the world.
Today, Kyaw Hla Aung is remembered as one of the most influential Rohingya lawyers and human rights defenders of the modern era. His life continues to inspire Rohingya activists, scholars, community leaders, and younger generations who view his unwavering commitment to justice, peaceful resistance, and the rule of law as an enduring legacy. Across refugee camps and Rohingya diaspora communities worldwide, many continue to honor his memory and pray for him, remembering a man who devoted his life to defending the rights and dignity of his people.
Note: This biographical profile is based on publicly available sources, published research, archival materials, media reports, and consultations with prominent members of the Rohingya community familiar with Kyaw Hla Aung’s life and work.
