Submission to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar

The situation of Rohingya IDPs and refugees in South and Southeast Asia

January 27, 2023

I. Introduction

1. The Burmese military’s decades-long atrocities, and the human rights and humanitarian catastrophe following the 2021 “attempted coup,” is forcing hundreds of thousands of civilians to seek safety and protection as internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Myanmar, or as refugees in other countries across South and Southeast Asia.

2. Rohingya in particular still bear the brunt of this mass exodus. Among the IDPs and refugees who have been subjected to the military’s crimes, Rohingya face unique circumstances for being victims and survivors of genocide, which has long dispossessed the community of their citizenship, property, and other fundamental freedoms. The attempted coup is also risking Rohingya in Myanmar with further acts of genocide; these acts threaten the future of the over one million Rohingya refugees in other countries, many of whom are now in serious danger of forced deportation. Comprehensive actions to address the community’s unique circumstances are thus urgently needed from their host countries and other Member States.

3. In this report, Women’s Peace Network (WPN) draws attention to the situation of Rohingya IDPs in Myanmar, as well as Rohingya refugees in other countries in South and Southeast Asia, especially Bangladesh, India, and Malaysia. The report’s findings are based on desk-based research, as well as interviews and consultations with WPN’s network among the Rohingya community.

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