By: Camp Correspondent
June 11, 2025
At a UN General Assembly discussion on June 10, the United States urged the international community to formally engage with the Arakan Army (AA) as a key stakeholder in any meaningful plan for Rohingya repatriation. The AA currently controls most of Rakhine State—once home to the majority of the Rohingya population.
Jonathan Shrier, U.S. Representative for Economic and Social Affairs, emphasized that returning Rohingya to their homeland requires more than negotiations with the military junta or Myanmar’s government.
“If we want to see lasting peace and the safe return of the Rohingya, we must talk with everyone involved in Rakhine, including the Arakan Army,” Shrier said.
His remarks followed a briefing by UN Special Envoy Julie Bishop, who highlighted intensifying violence in Myanmar and the worsening humanitarian crisis for the Rohingya and other vulnerable groups.
A Crisis Rooted in Exclusion
The Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority in Rakhine State, have long faced systemic persecution. Myanmar’s 1982 citizenship law rendered them stateless, denying them basic rights and recognition.
Their situation escalated catastrophically in 2017, when Myanmar’s military launched brutal operations in response to attacks by Rohingya militants. Entire villages were burned, civilians were killed, and mass rapes were documented. Over 700,000 fled to Bangladesh in a matter of weeks—adding to earlier waves of displacement.
Today, more than one million Rohingya remain stranded in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, many with no hope of return. Their homes in Rakhine have been destroyed or reoccupied, and citizenship remains out of reach.
The New Power on the Ground
In the years since, Myanmar’s landscape has shifted. The Arakan Army—a powerful ethnic armed group advocating for Rakhine autonomy—has gained control of much of northern Rakhine, displacing the junta’s influence in the region.
Acknowledging this, Shrier said excluding the AA from discussions would undermine the credibility of any repatriation effort.
“The facts on the ground have changed,” he noted. “If the AA holds territory, then they also hold responsibility.”
He also underscored the need for all armed actors—including both the Myanmar military and the AA—to uphold international human rights standards and protect civilians.
China Reiterates Bilateral Approach
In response, China’s delegate Sun Lei maintained that repatriation should remain a bilateral matter between Myanmar and Bangladesh. He said China was already mediating quietly behind the scenes and opposed internationalizing the issue.
Stuck in Limbo
Multiple efforts to repatriate the Rohingya—through bilateral deals, UN-backed frameworks, or donor-led initiatives—have failed. The reasons are clear: no guarantees of safety, no pathway to citizenship, and no recognition of the scale of trauma endured.
For many Rohingya, the idea of return remains a dream haunted by fear. Few believe they can go home while the structures of persecution remain intact—regardless of who governs the ground.
Still, the U.S. call to engage the AA marks a shift in international thinking. Observers say it may open the door to more inclusive and realistic conversations about repatriation, though real progress will depend on political will, pressure, and reform.
Until then, Rohingya families continue to live between worlds—stateless in exile, and unwanted at home.
