Published: 05 August 2024
London, UK – Burma Human Rights Network is calling on the international community to support and protect the Rohingya in Maungdaw Township, who are still caught in the fighting between the Arakan Army and the Burmese junta. There are reports that the war is intensifying as the junta is losing control of the township, and photos showing Rohingya believed to have been killed in the crossfire have been circulating on social media in recent days. Civilians trapped in this area have all been subject to heavy artillery, warplane bombings, and drones that many civilians say the Arakan Army is using. As a result, some Rohingya are fleeing to Bangladesh, including one refugee who BHRN spoke with.
“The Rohingya in Maungdaw are in desperate need of protection and support from the world. The civilian toll of this war is almost completely ignored by the international community, who seem too preoccupied with other conflicts. We are asking them to take action to protect the Rohingya under fire in Maungdaw, those suffering without aid from Buthidaung, and to make preparations to help the Rohingya and other civilians who will soon live under intense fighting in Sittwe, where the Junta will desperately try to hold the state capital,” BHRN’s Executive Director Kyaw Win Said.
BHRN spoke with one man who fled to Bangladesh to escape the fighting in Maungdaw. He told us, “When I was in our village, I heard the sounds of large weapons and saw drone attacks targeting the remaining Rohingya villages in the downtown area constantly. It felt like living under continuous gunfire. The Arakan Army (AA) had controlled all the villages except for three to four in the downtown area. The AA surrounded the Handa Para Burmese military station, which has a lot of advanced weapons, but they haven’t used them yet. The AA sends drones towards the military station, but the military easily destroys them. When these drones are destroyed, they fall near Rohingya houses, causing serious injuries and later deaths without any treatment. The AA also sends drones to target individual Rohingya houses in the remaining villages. On July 8th, a drone fell on my rooftop, seriously injuring all my family members. One of my sons died without receiving any treatment in Maungdaw, and we are all still seriously injured.”
The man said he could identify the drone because it was launched in the daytime, and his neighbors saw it coming and yelled for them to flee the house. He said they could see the drone’s camera equipment in the wreckage. He told BHRN he knows the Arakan Army launched the drone because the junta doesn’t use them. He went on to describe a lack of aid in the Rohingya villages and said he feared worsening food shortages if the war continued.
“I would request you to support the people in Maungdaw as much as you can. They are waiting for emergency support,” He told BHRN.
BHRN calls on the international community to make every effort to protect and support the civilians trapped in conflict zones throughout Burma. The international community must also make clear to the Arakan Army that civilians must be protected and given all rights under international law. The Arakan Army must also provide a safe passage to Rohingya fleeing the conflict and cannot hold anyone in place against their will or deprive them of life-sustaining aid. The world should also be taking serious steps in preparation for the subsequent phases of fighting in Rakhine State, which have the potential to be the deadliest yet as the junta will make greater efforts to hold onto the capital. The vast population may need access to food, medicine, and shelter. Finally, the international community must consider taking steps to pressure the junta to surrender to spare the country further destruction for a war they no longer seem capable of winning
Organisation’s Background
BHRN is based in London and operates across Burma/Myanmar working for human rights, minority rights and religious freedom in the country. BHRN has played a crucial role in advocating for human rights and religious freedom with politicians and world leaders.
Media Enquiries
Please contact:
Kyaw Win
Executive Director
Burma Human Rights Network (BHRN)
E: kyawwin@bhrn.org.uk
T: +44(0) 740 345 2378
May Thiri Khin
Research and Advocacy Officer
Burma Human Rights Network (BHRN)
E: may.thiri@bhrn.org.uk
T: +66 804 431 108
