Rohingya Muslims face new threat from Arakan Army after being persecuted by Myanmar military

ISTANBUL

Nay San Lwin, co-founder of the Free Rohingya Coalition, told Anadolu that Arakan Muslims (Rohingya), long persecuted by Myanmar's military, are now facing new threats from the Arakan Army.

He urged the international community to establish a safe zone to protect the vulnerable population from escalating violence, describing it as the only viable solution given the current conditions in the region.

"When it comes to Rohingya, the Arakan Army has the same intention as the Myanmar military," he said.

The Arakan Army (AA), formed in 2009, is a Buddhist ethnic insurgent group from Myanmar's Rakhine State.

It seeks greater autonomy in the region and has engaged in armed conflict with Myanmar's military, notably from 2018 to 2020.

Lwin said 550,000 Rohingya Muslims reside in Rakhine State and the surrounding areas.

Despite the presence of the military, the regions are controlled by the Arakan Army, which is fighting the military.

“In the past few months, the Arakan Army has killed more than 2,500 Rohingya Muslims and displaced at least 300,000 across two townships,” he said.

While stating that those remaining in Arakan face "serious threats," he noted that more than 30,000 Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh because of persecution and killings.

According to the UN, in 2017, around 700,000 Rohingyas fled a military crackdown in Myanmar, seeking refuge in Bangladesh.

They remain in overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar, facing limited resources and an uncertain future.

Lwin emphasized that Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh cannot return as long as the Arakan Army controls their lands.

He also said the Arakan Army appears to be continuing what Myanmar's military once described as "unfinished business" from World War II, echoing remarks made by military leaders in 2018.

Lwin criticized the UN Security Council for prioritizing humanitarian aid above addressing the root causes of the Rohingya crisis and warned that without meaningful action, the situation would worsen.

He also encouraged more countries to support international legal cases, including those pursued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“There are more than 150 countries who just signed the genocide convention. They can all join and it can become a big case, as they have been talking about accountability and justice,” he said.

The ICC prosecutor requested an arrest warrant for Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing on Nov. 27 for his role in the 2017 persecution and deportation of Rohingya Muslims.

The application is the first against a high-level Myanmar official in connection with the persecution of Rohingya.

*Writing by Beril Canakci