Treatment of Rohingya in Rakhine State

The Rohingya, a Muslim minority group in Myanmars Rakhine State, have endured decades of marginalisation, persecution, and violence. International organisations, regional bodies and local civil society groups have undertaken a range of efforts to alleviate suffering, protect human rights, and seek durable solutions. This page summarizes the main aspects of those interventions, the challenges they face, and the outlook for the Rohingya population.

Historical Background

Since Myanmars independence in 1948, the Rohingya have been denied full citizenship under the 1982 Citizenship Law. Their status as stateless has left them vulnerable to discrimination in employment, education, health care and movement. Periodic military operations, most dramatically in August 2017, resulted in mass displacement of over 700,000 Rohingya to Bangladesh and other neighbouring countries.

Humanitarian Assistance

Emergency Relief

Following the 2017 exodus, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and partner agencies launched the largest humanitarian response in the region. Key elements included:

• Food distribution roughly 2,500 kilocalories per person per day.
• Emergency shelter canvas tents, followed by prefabricated shelters.
• Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) boreholes, latrines and hygiene kits.
• Health services mobile clinics, maternalchild health programs and disease surveillance.

LongTerm Support in Camps

In the Kutupalong and Balukhali camps in Bangladesh, agencies have moved towards protracted refugee programming, which includes:

• Education primary and secondary schools serving over 100,000 children.
• Livelihoods cashbased assistance, vocational training and microenterprise grants.
• Protection legal aid, genderbased violence prevention, and child protection.

Efforts Inside Myanmar

Humanitarian Access

Humanitarian organisations have repeatedly requested safe, unhindered access to Rohingya who remain in Rakhine State. In 2020 the government of Myanmar allowed limited entry to a small number of NGOs for health and nutrition surveys, though access remains heavily restricted.

Legal Advocacy

International legal actions have been launched to hold perpetrators accountable:

• The International Court of Justice (ICJ) hearing on genocide accusations (2020present).
• The International Criminal Court (ICC) investigations into crimes committed in Rakhine State.
• Domestic lawsuits filed by Rohingya victims seeking reparations.

Repatriation Initiatives

Several rounds of repatriation talks have been mediated by the United Nations. The most recent pilot program in 2022 aimed to return 2,000 families to designated safe zones. However, concerns over security, lack of basic services, and the absence of a clear citizenship pathway have stalled largescale returns.

Regional and International Responses

Bangladesh

Bangladesh has hosted the majority of Rohingya refugees, granting them temporary protection status and allowing them to work in limited sectors. In 2022, the government announced plans to develop a permanent settlement on the island of Bhasan Char, a controversial move criticized for environmental and safety concerns.

ASEAN

ASEANs principle of noninterference has limited collective action, yet the bloc has supported UNled humanitarian operations and provided modest financial contributions for shelter and health programs.

Global Community

Donor countries and multilateral institutions have contributed over US$4billion since 2017. The European Union, United States, Japan and Canada are among the largest funders, supporting both emergency relief and developmentoriented projects aimed at eventual return and integration.

Key Challenges

• Statelessness: Without citizenship, Rohingya cannot legally work, travel or access state services in Myanmar.
• Security Concerns: Ongoing ethnic tension and occasional armed clashes make safe repatriation difficult.
• Living Conditions: Overcrowded camps face risks of disease outbreaks, especially during monsoon seasons.
• Funding Gaps: While significant, aid flows have fluctuated, creating cashshortages for health and education.
• Political Will: The Myanmar militarys control over Rakhine State hampers humanitarian access and reforms.