Conditions in Myanmar are becoming dire

Several Rohingya Muslims who fled oppressive conditions in Myanmar to one of two refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Credit: KM Asad/UN Photo

UNITED NATIONS, August 26, 2024 (IPS) – On 21 August, Secretary-General Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric addressed a press conference at United Nations Headquarters on the ongoing Rohingya genocide taking place in Myanmar. Dujarric described the high levels of hostility and displacement in the Shan, Mandalay and Rakhine regions, which have increased significantly since late June this year.

“On August 5, an estimated 20,000 people were displaced from three neighborhoods in central Maungdaw. There are also reports of more people crossing the border into Bangladesh. In northern Shan State, there has been an upsurge in fighting since late June, with an estimated 33,000 people displaced from four townships,” Dujarric said.

Moreover, casualties continue to mount as the armed conflict in Rakhine State escalates. A joint statement by U.S. Ambassador Robert Wood on behalf of the United Nations states that the Myanmar regime is currently using displaced Rohingya Muslims as human shields and has planted landmines around their camps. In addition, ethnic minorities are being forcibly conscripted into the army, many of whom are young children.

Wood further said that Myanmar’s armed forces have carried out “indiscriminate airstrikes against civilians and civilian objects, the burning of civilian homes, attacks on humanitarian workers and facilities, and restrictions on humanitarian access.”

A joint statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union, as well as the foreign ministers of the United States, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Switzerland and other countries, said that “violence against civilians has escalated, with thousands of detainees, torture and deaths. Airstrikes, shelling and arson have been used to destroy civilian infrastructure, including homes, schools, health facilities and places of worship.”

In addition, hostilities by the Myanmar military have forced millions of ethnic minorities to flee to neighboring areas such as Bangladesh, India, Thailand and Malaysia. Bangladesh currently has the largest refugee camp in the world, with over a million Rohingya refugees flocking to the Kutupalong refugee camp in Ukhia, Cox’s Bazar. However, relocation efforts remain extremely dangerous, with over 600 refugees reported dead or missing at sea.

Since the military coup of the Myanmar regime in 2021, the need for humanitarian aid has increased dramatically as conditions become more dire by the day. The population in need of aid has grown from 1 million to more than 18 million. In addition, around 3 million people have been displaced from their homes, which have been bombed or destroyed by the military.

Environmental factors also play a significant role in the level of displacement in Myanmar. Dujarric adds that “torrential rains since late June are worsening the already dire humanitarian situation. Some 393,000 men, women and children have been affected by these floods.”

Furthermore, women and LGBTQ residents have long been disproportionately and negatively impacted by policies in Myanmar, which have been exacerbated following the coup. There are numerous reports of women, girls, and LGBTQ individuals being conscripted and subjected to sexual and gender-based violence.

According to a report published on July 2 by Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, “junta forces have committed widespread rape and other forms of sexual violence, often characterised by extreme brutality and dehumanisation. Members of resistance groups have also been responsible for abuses against women, girls and LGBT people. Accountability for sexual and gender-based violence is extremely rare and survivors struggle to access the support they need.”

Andrews goes on to say that widespread displacement during the Rohingya genocide has increased the risk of violence, trafficking, forced child marriage and sexual exploitation. This is highly counterproductive in reducing tensions, as there is a growing resistance in Myanmar, made up of Rohingya women, girls and LGBTQ people, who are focused on providing humanitarian aid and alleviating conflict.

The United Nations aims to address tensions in Myanmar and help the Rohingya population through the 2024 Humanitarian Emergency and Response Plan, focusing on helping people who have been displaced or affected by military conflict.

While early funding has resulted in more than 2 million Myanmar residents receiving humanitarian assistance, much work remains to be done. Approximately $993 million is needed to fully fund this initiative, of which only 23 percent has been achieved to date. Additional donor support is needed to respond to this growing humanitarian crisis.

IPS UN Office Report