Human rights advocates have renewed calls for international accountability for atrocities against the Rohingya, as the world marked the eighth anniversary of Myanmar’s military crackdown in Rakhine State.
In a joint statement released on August 25, Fortify Rights and 57 other organizations urged United Nations member states to act decisively.
“Eight years on from the start of the Myanmar military’s genocidal attacks against Rohingya, not a single person has been held criminally responsible. This is a deep stain on the world’s conscience,” said Patrick Phongsathorn, Senior Advocate at Fortify Rights.
“It’s not too late to address this injustice. The U.N. Security Council should immediately refer the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court, and all U.N. member states should explore every possible avenue to pursue justice for the Rohingya,” he added.
The groups stressed that a Security Council referral to the ICC would “ensure comprehensive accountability for crimes committed against all communities” in Myanmar.
They also urged states to “exercise universal jurisdiction to initiate or support criminal prosecutions of those responsible for crimes.”
The military launched so-called “clearance operations” on August 25, 2017, after Rohingya militants attacked several security posts.
The operations quickly escalated into massacres, rapes, and village burnings, forcing more than 700,000 people to flee to Bangladesh — the largest refugee exodus since Rwanda.
Investigations later pointed to premeditated intent. A 2018 Fortify Rights report cited “extensive and systematic preparations” for the attacks.
A UN Fact-Finding Mission in 2019 also found evidence of genocide. The United States formally determined in 2022 that the Myanmar military committed genocide against the Rohingya.
The joint statement noted that abuses have persisted since the junta’s 2021 coup, including forced conscription, aid blockages, and mass hunger.
The Arakan Army (AA), which now controls much of Rakhine, has also committed “murder, mutilation, and torture” of Rohingya civilians. In 2024, AA fighters killed more than 100 civilians fleeing to Bangladesh and carried out arson in Rohingya towns.
A high-level UN conference on the Rohingya and other minorities is scheduled for September 30. The groups warned against the exclusion of Rohingya voices, stressing the need for women, youth, and civil society leaders to be heard.
The international community has tolerated violence, abuse, and persecution of the Rohinyga by multiple actors for too long, according to Phongsathorn.
“As governments again gather to discuss the Rohingya crisis and the junta’s widespread atrocities throughout Myanmar, concrete steps toward justice and accountability must be devised alongside and in close consultation with Rohingya survivors,” he added.
