Nay Pyi Taw: Rohingya Muslims, long persecuted by Myanmar’s military, are now facing new threats from the Arakan Army, according to Nay San Lwin, co-founder of the Free Rohingya Coalition, who spoke to Anadolu. Lwin has called on 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 stated.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Arakan Army (AA), a Buddhist ethnic insurgent group from Myanmar’s Rakhine State, was formed in 2009. The group seeks greater autonomy in the region and has engaged in armed conflict with Myanmar’s military, notably from 2018 to 2020. Lwin highlighted that 550,000 Rohingya Muslims reside in Rakhine State and surrounding areas. Despite the military’s presence, these regions are controlled by the Arakan Army, which is actively fighting the military.
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win reported that 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 also noted that more than 30,000 Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh because of persecution and killings, while those remaining in Arakan face “serious threats.”
In 2017, around 700,000 Rohingyas fled a military crackdown in Myanmar, seeking refuge in Bangladesh, according to the UN. These refugees 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 further commented on the Arakan Army’s actions, suggesting they are 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 over addressing the root causes of the Rohingya crisis and warned that w
ithout meaningful action, the situation would worsen.
Lwin encouraged more countries to support international legal cases, including those pursued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). He pointed out that more than 150 countries have signed the genocide convention, suggesting they could join and make a significant case regarding accountability and justice. The ICC prosecutor has requested an arrest warrant for Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing for his role in the 2017 persecution and deportation of Rohingya Muslims. This application is the first against a high-level Myanmar official in connection with the persecution of Rohingya.