On Monday, hundreds of Rohingya refugees gathered at Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, marking a nine-year anniversary of the genocide perpetrated against them in Myanmar. Since 2017, over one million stateless Rohingya have remained stranded in Cox’s Bazar, a densely populated coastal district, where living conditions have steadily deteriorated as international aid declines, driven by a combination of factors including economic hardship and political instability.
Since 2017, Myanmar has officially recognized the Rohingya as an ethnic minority, but has consistently denied them full citizenship, labeling them ‘undocumented immigrants from Bangladesh’. This denial, coupled with the military’s repeated crackdowns on Rakhine state, has fueled a protracted refugee crisis. The Rohingya population, predominantly Muslim-majority, comprises approximately 120,000 internally displaced individuals, and the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described them as “one of, if not the, most discriminated people in the world.”
Prior to 2017, there were over one million Rohingya in Myanmar, residing in the ethnically diverse nation of Myanmar, which is comprised of 135 major ethnic groups and seven minority states, according to the Minority Rights Group. The Burmese government views the Rohingya as undocumented immigrants, denied citizenship since 1982, and remains the dominant ethnic group in Myanmar. The Burmese military has consistently viewed the Rohingya as a threat to its stability, and the Rohingya’s continued displacement has triggered a significant humanitarian crisis.
International efforts to address the crisis have been largely stalled since the initial humanitarian response. While significant aid has been provided, the shortfall has been attributed to a lack of funding and a focus on providing immediate assistance rather than long-term solutions. The United Nations has documented a significant decline in humanitarian assistance to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, with nearly 75% of the refugee population relying on aid, creating severe challenges for essential services like food security and healthcare.
Several organizations, including the World Food Programme, have reported a critical 26% reduction in monthly food vouchers for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, highlighting the dire impact of the funding shortage. The Rohingya movement has also been severely impacted by political instability in Myanmar, with several refugees fleeing across the border into neighboring countries, including Malaysia, which hosts 192,481 refugees, and India, which hosts 87,022. However, a Human Rights Watch report in 2025 revealed that over 6,500 Rohingya refugees embarked on unsafe maritime journeys out of Myanmar, with 900 dying in 2025.
Refugees are calling for a renewed international effort to address the Rohingya crisis, emphasizing the urgent need for a return to their homes without fear of further violence and the return of their cultural heritage.
Nay San Lwin, cofounder of the Free Rohingya Coalition, stated that ‘nine years have passed with delayed justice and no clear path to repatriation with full rights and dignity.’ He urged the international community to place pressure on Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army to end violence against the Rohingya and establish safe conditions for survivors to return home.
The international community’s response to the Rohingya genocide has been marked by initial humanitarian assistance and democratic efforts, but successive plans have been recalibrated in 2026, reducing appeals by 26 percent to $710.5m, to cover only the most critical, life-saving needs, leaving the most vulnerable in dire straits.
Myanmar’s 2017 military crackdown on the Rohingya has been under investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) since 2019, and has been termed genocide by the ICC after Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s de facto civilian leader at the time, was named in an Argentinian lawsuit.
However, the ICC case remains unresolved, with no indictments or trials.
Bangladesh hosts a vast majority of Rohingya refugees, with a significant number settled in neighboring countries, including Malaysia, which hosts 192,481 refugees, and India, which hosts 87,022.
The international community’s response to the Rohingya crisis has been characterized by a slow decline in funding for Rohingya refugees, fueling concerns about their safety and well-being. The Rohingya movement has also been significantly impacted by political instability in Myanmar, with several refugees fleeing into neighboring countries, including Malaysia.
In 2020, the ICJ ordered provisional measures requiring Myanmar to protect the Rohingya and prevent genocidal acts, and in 2029, Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi defended her country’s military against allegations of genocide at the court.
The Rohingya’s movement has also been severely impacted by the ongoing political instability in Myanmar, with numerous refugees fleeing into neighboring countries, including Malaysia, and India. The Rohingya movement has also been affected by a lack of political will in Myanmar, with the military’s continued military campaigns against the Rohingya, and the continued violence of the ARSA group.
The situation highlights a complex web of factors, including political instability, economic hardship, and the enduring legacy of conflict, demanding a concerted and sustained international effort to address the humanitarian crisis and ensure the safety and rights of the Rohingya community.”
Source: Al Jazeera
