August 25 marked the eighth anniversary of the beginning of a campaign of mass atrocities by Myanmar's security forces in Rakhine State in 2017, which forced more than 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh. Eight years later, Rohingya people — both refugees and those remaining in Myanmar — face a further deterioration of their bleak circumstances.
Starting in August 2017, Myanmar's security forces burned down hundreds of Rohingya villages and killed Rohingya women, men, and children throughout northern Rakhine State as part of a campaign of ethnic cleansing. At least 740,000 Rohingya sought refuge in Bangladesh, joining the hundreds of thousands who had previously fled the country.
An independent international fact-finding mission on Myanmar documented evidence of genocide and crimes against humanity. Since these atrocities were perpetrated, no one in Myanmar has been held accountable for the crimes committed against the Rohingya.
However, in November 2024, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced he was seeking an arrest warrant for Myanmar's acting president, General Min Aung Hlaing, for his role in the 2017 deportation and persecution of the Rohingya.
Over 1.15 million Rohingya refugees face deteriorating conditions
More than 1.15 million Rohingya refugees currently live in the sprawling, makeshift camps of Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh— the world’s largest refugee settlement. Conditions are rapidly deteriorating. Aid cuts have reduced access to food, healthcare, education, and protective services.
As humanitarian conditions worsen in the world’s largest refugee settlement, the challenges of this protracted crisis continue to mount. A steep decline in funds is forcing humanitarian organizations to focus on the most critical life-saving needs.
The refugees' survival depends entirely on humanitarian aid, which is shrinking rapidly. Without renewed funding, food assistance could end by December, putting the lives of refugees at risk. Health and nutrition services are dwindling, and the shortage of clean water and soap is increasing the risk of disease, especially during the ongoing monsoon season.
Women, girls, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups are facing an increased threat of gender-based violence, human trafficking, and exploitation by armed groups. Protection workers warn that the situation is nearing a breaking point.
The Cox’s Bazar refugee camps are located in an area off the coast of the Bay of Bengal that is extremely vulnerable to cyclones, flooding, landslides, outbreaks of fire, and the impacts of climate change. Recurring natural disasters have had a devastating impact on the overcrowded camps, and the disasters occur so frequently that there is barely enough time to rebuild shelters made of bamboo and tarpaulin before the next disaster strikes.
More Rohingya are being forced to flee
Conditions inside Myanmar have grown even worse. Since mid-2024, over 150,000 more Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh, as violence in Rakhine State has escalated. The threat now comes not only from the Myanmar military but also from the Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic armed group fighting for control of the region.
The prospects for a safe, dignified, and voluntary return remain bleak as the root causes of displacement remain unresolved and displacement from Myanmar continues. Those who remain in Rakhine State continue to face grave risks and ongoing persecution, prompting more people to flee than at any time since 2017.
In Rakhine, Rohingya and other civilians are caught in the crossfire between the Myanmar military and the AA; they are subjected to forced recruitment, human rights violations, and other abuses. Movement restrictions and aid blockages have exacerbated food shortages and health concerns.
UN-appointed investigators have launched new investigations into atrocities committed against various communities in Rakhine State as the Myanmar military and the ethnic armed group battle for control of the territory.
The Arakan Army has been accused of serious crimes against the Rohingya, including extrajudicial executions, torture, forced labor, forced recruitment, and large-scale arson. The Myanmar military has also unlawfully conscripted Rohingya to fight in the ongoing conflict.
The military has been implicated in crimes against humanity and severe war crimes, including launching targeted airstrikes against civilians and civilian infrastructure, such as schools, hospitals, displacement camps, and places of worship.
Since 2021, when the country's military seized power in a coup, Myanmar has been embroiled in a bloody civil war that has killed thousands of civilians. Since 2023, a coalition of ethnic rebel forces, including the AA, has intensified its efforts to overthrow the military government, forcing it out of large parts of Shan, Chin, and Rakhine states.
The Southeast Asian country is facing multiple overlapping humanitarian crises caused by persecution, protracted armed conflict, intercommunal violence, and natural disasters. Amid the deteriorating situation, Myanmar's humanitarian needs have reached record levels. Currently, 21.9 million people in Myanmar require humanitarian assistance — the third-highest number of people in need worldwide.