UNITED NATIONS, October 1 — On September 30, the United Nations (UN) hosted a high-level meeting to address the dire situation of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar, coinciding with the conclusion of the 80th session of the General Assembly (UNGA80). This conference aimed to refocus international attention on the plight of Rohingya refugees, featuring discussions led by UN officials, global representatives, and civil society organizations.
Since the military’s violent crackdown on the rights and citizenship of Rohingya Muslims in 2017, over one million individuals have fled to Bangladesh, with the majority settling in Cox’s Bazar, now recognized as the largest refugee camp in the world. Unfortunately, despite the Bangladeshi government’s attempts at repatriation, the ongoing violence and insecurity in Myanmar create an environment where safe return remains an unachievable dream, leaving refugees vulnerable to further persecution and discrimination.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the pervasive insecurity and discrimination faced by Rohingya Muslims and other minorities, particularly in Rakhine State. “Minorities in Myanmar have endured decades of exclusion, abuse, and violence,” stated Chef de Cabinet Courtenay Rattray, delivering Guterres’ remarks. “The Rohingya have been stripped of their right to citizenship, targeted by hate speech, terrorized with deadly force, and confined to displacement camps with severely limited freedom of movement and scant access to education and health services.”
Rattray further elaborated on the grim reality that minorities routinely endure forced displacement, conscription, aerial attacks, and extrajudicial killings. The prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence is alarming, with women and girls facing heightened risks of trafficking, child marriage, and other forms of exploitation.
With humanitarian budgets dwindling and conflict intensifying in Myanmar, delegates engaged in crucial discussions about mechanisms to protect Rohingya refugees and minorities and to facilitate their safe return. Many speakers called for stronger accountability measures to address the root causes of insecurity in Myanmar and to break the cycle of impunity.
“To create a conducive environment for repatriation, we must first and foremost end this military dictatorship and its atrocities against civilians, and double our efforts to build trust and unity,” urged Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, Myanmar’s Permanent Representative to the UN. “Resolving the plight of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar will not be feasible unless we tackle the underlying causes. We will only achieve results by collectively acting to dismantle the military dictatorship and its unlawful coup, along with its culture of impunity.”
Representatives from various member states and civil society organizations echoed the urgent need for heightened accountability measures, warning that the ongoing crisis poses significant risks to regional stability. Stavros Lambrinidis, the EU Ambassador to the UN, pointed out that tensions have escalated between refugees and host communities, with minors increasingly drawn to armed groups, threatening to exacerbate violence in the area.
“This crisis extends beyond Myanmar,” asserted Nabhit Kapur, the Permanent Observer of the Pan-African Intergovernmental Agency for Water and Sanitation in Africa (WSA) at the UN. “Its implications reach far beyond borders, affecting regional peace, stability, and trust in the foundations of multilateralism. The longer uncertainty prevails, the greater the risks of radicalization, human trafficking, and destabilization across the region.”
Several speakers stressed the pressing need for increased funding, especially for essential services such as food assistance, protection, and education, which are critical for enabling a dignified return to Myanmar. The World Food Programme (WFP) warned that without immediate funding, Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh could face acute food insecurity, with monthly rations potentially reduced to a mere USD 6 per person.
Dylan Winder, representing the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), described conditions in the Cox’s Bazar settlement as “fragile” and entirely reliant on humanitarian assistance. “Families continue to live in overcrowded shelters and face serious protection and security risks. The hard truth is that diminishing funding is worsening these risks—threatening food supplies, healthcare, including maternal and child health, and water and sanitation services—leading to increased disease, violence, and trafficking, and pushing families toward perilous coping strategies.”
Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor, Muhammad Yunus, emphasized that the country cannot shoulder this burden alone, as it grapples with the challenges of supporting a densely populated nation and cannot accommodate employment of Rohingyas within its borders. He highlighted that refugees encounter severe resource shortages amidst recurring security challenges, including clashes with host communities. “We are forced to bear immense financial, social, and environmental costs. Criminal activities, such as drug trafficking from Rakhine into Bangladesh, threaten our societal fabric,” Yunus said.
Speakers also underscored the necessity for a comprehensive political framework that guarantees minority rights and citizenship, fostering inclusion, particularly for the most vulnerable—women and children. With Rohingya Muslims rendered stateless and largely voiceless, many stressed the urgency of ensuring their meaningful representation in discussions that will shape their futures.
“The 2021 military coup dashed the democratic aspirations of Myanmar’s people and the hopes of the Rohingya to participate in shaping Myanmar’s future,” remarked the Ambassador of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) to the UN. “The Rohingya crisis is not merely a humanitarian and human rights crisis; it is a crisis of democracy and inclusion. Without inclusion, there can be no reconciliation; without democracy, there can be no justice.”
While the conference aimed to amplify the voices of Rohingya refugees from the camps, the reality was starkly different, as very few speakers represented the refugee community. The absence of statements from Rohingya refugees currently residing in the camps was glaring. In prior years, Bangladesh and the UN had facilitated trips for Rohingya refugees to voice their experiences and shape discussions affecting their futures. This year, however, no such arrangements were made, with Bangladeshi officials citing difficulties in obtaining security clearance.
“Peace in Myanmar hinges on recognizing the Rohingya as equal members of Burmese society, equally deserving of education, citizenship, human rights, and justice,” stated the Representative of the Independent Diplomat to the UN. “Action has been sorely lacking. As diplomats and activists convene in these halls, the Rohingya remain stateless, displaced, and deprived of their fundamental rights. The chasm between our professed principles and our collective responsibilities has perpetuated these atrocities with impunity, further deepening the suffering of far too many.”
