Refugee Day is Every Day
World Refugee Day is marked just once a year. But for refugees and IDPs across Myanmar and the world, Refugee Day is every day.
This year’s World Refugee Day marked another year of waves of displacement across Myanmar since the attempted coup of 1 February 2024. The day serves as a stark reminder to the international community of the worsening human rights and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar and their obligation to do more to provide protection and humanitarian assistance to displaced populations. In addition, it echoes the need to hold the perpetrators of the crisis accountable for their violence and atrocities that caused this unprecedented mass displacement: the Myanmar military.
As of June 2024, over 3 million people have been displaced due to brutality and atrocity crimes committed by the Myanmar military before and after the coup attempt. And this figure is likely a gross underestimation of the actual magnitude of displacement based on reports from community-based local humanitarian responders on the ground with direct access to affected populations.
In Tanintharyi Region, southern Myanmar, the recent junta-imposed violence has displaced more than 58,000 people as of mid-June. Moving to western Myanmar, Matupi Township, Chin State, in June alone over 300 refugees have fled to Mizoram, India, while hundreds more are internally displaced and trapped in the area amidst the recent fighting between the Myanmar military junta and the Chin resistance forces. These recent instances of displacement from Tanintharyi Region and Chin State are just snapshots of a nationwide pattern of the Myanmar military junta’s terror campaign and the subsequent human rights and humanitarian crisis unfolding across Myanmar.
In Rakhine State, a spike in violence by both Myanmar junta troops and the Arakan Army (AA) has been exacerbating the displacement of entire villages and towns throughout the state. The AA’s expansion of territorial control in Rakhine State, particularly in Buthidaung Town in which the majority of the town population are ethnic Rohingya, has resulted in Rohingya being displaced and facing severe hardship while facing other forms of abuses. As reported by Burmese Rohingya Organization UK, in recent months alone, over 200,000 Rohingya have been forcibly displaced by the AA from villages under the control of the AA, with at least 1,500 Rohingya killed by AA soldiers since March. Recently, the AA warned residents of Maungdaw Township, where the majority of its inhabitants are also Rohingya, to leave the town while all routes remain blocked by the junta. As a result, Daignet, Mro, Rakhine, Rohingya, and other religious and ethnic minorities have found themselves trapped in escalated conflict as the AA defeated the Myanmar military and sought control of the areas.
While Rohingya on one side of the border endure the turmoil of conflict and burning of their homes, approximately one million Rohingya refugees on the other side face the devastation of heavy rains and landslides, which further exacerbate their already dire situation of growing insecurity, aid cuts, and deadly fires. Recently, deadly landslides and flooding struck Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, tragically killing seven people including children. Heavy monsoons have affected over 930,000 refugees across 33 camps in Cox’s Bazar, resulting in the destruction of an estimated 1,200 shelters. Such climate vulnerabilities occur annually, yet Rohingya communities are often left without adequate disaster preparedness and protection measures.
On World Refugee Day, 128 organizations together urged the international community to address the root cause of the unprecedented mass displacement and its impacts on regional peace and security. Their calls emphasize the need to directly support trusted local frontline humanitarian responders and locally managed cross-border channels. The statement further calls on Myanmar’s neighboring countries and the broader international community to uphold the principle of non-refoulement; end arbitrary detentions, pushbacks, and deportations of Myanmar’s fleeing population; and instead guarantee legal protection and provide humanitarian aid, as well as access to essential services.
Statements from Karen Human Rights Group and The Border Consortium have also sounded the alarm for the urgent need for humanitarian assistance for IDPs in Karen State, for refugees sheltering in refugee camps and on the run along the Thailand-Myanmar border, and for thousands of Myanmar people crossing international borders to seek safety from the Myanmar military’s violence and persecution.
Echoing urgent appeals from civil society, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights emphasized the vital importance for countries in the region to guarantee international protection and aid provision. He firmly stated that, “Nobody should be forcibly returned to Myanmar at this time.” This underscores the critical need for neighboring countries to uphold the principle of non-refoulement, given fatal risks faced by Myanmar people of being handed over to the military junta and potentially arrested and imprisoned or forced into the military to fight against democratic resistance forces.
This year has witnessed a staggering record of displacement, with 120 million people forcibly displaced worldwide. Myanmar’s crisis, however, has been largely underreported and lacks the attention and support of the international community it deserves. Rather than persisting with the highly detrimental business-as-usual approach, the international community must follow effective and practical recommendations proposed by Myanmar civil society, who engage directly with, or are rooted in, affected communities. Their approach has demonstrated greater effectiveness, especially in the delivery of lifesaving emergency humanitarian aid. The international community must recognize the fact that any aid delivered in partnership with or through the junta is manipulated and weaponized for its advantage, rather than reaching those in most desperate need.
World Refugee Day is marked just once a year. But for refugees and IDPs across Myanmar and the world, Refugee Day is every day. Today, like yesterday, like tomorrow, Myanmar’s displaced populations continue to lack sufficient food and water, safe shelter, access to essential services, and protection, living in constant fear of junta attacks. It is not only for the international community to reflect on its failure on this day, but it must step up and adjust its conventional approach to provide aid to those who need it the most.
[1] One year following the 1988 pro-democracy uprising, the former military junta changed the country’s name from Burma to Myanmar overnight. Progressive Voice uses the term ‘Myanmar’ in acknowledgement that most people of the country use this term. However, the deception of inclusiveness and the historical process of coercion by the former State Peace and Development Council military regime into usage of ‘Myanmar’ rather than ‘Burma’ without the consent of the people is recognized and not forgotten. Thus, under certain circumstances, ‘Burma’ is used.
Resources from the past week
Statements and Press Releases
By 128 Civil Society Organizations
By 128 Civil Society Organizations
By European Commission
Myanmar: Investigate Civilian Killings in Karenni State, Hold Perpetrators Accountable
By Fortify Rights
By India for Myanmar, Blood Money Campaign, Defend Myanmar Democracy, Sitt Nyein Pann Foundation
By Justice for Myanmar
By Justice for Myanmar
Statement on 2024 International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict
By Karen Human Rights Group
Statement on World Refugee Day
By Karen Human Rights Group
A Message to honor the day of “Eid al-Adha
By National Unity Government
By National Unity Government and Ministry of Human Rights
UN Human Rights HC Volker Türk Delivered an Oral Update on Myanmar to the 56th Human Rights Council
By Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Myanmar: A Breakneck Speed “Disintegration of Human Rights,” says High Commissioner
By Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Appeal to the Government of India Regarding the Unjust Detention of People from Manipur
By Sagaing Federal Council
By Special Advisory Council for Myanmar
By Special Advisory Council for Myanmar
ASEAN and UN Must Wake Up and Respond to New Realities in Myanmar
By Special Advisory Council for Myanmar
World Refugee Day Statement 2024
By The Border Consortium
By Women’s League of Burma
Reports
Waves of Junta and AA Attacks Once Again Target Rohingya
By ALTSEAN-Burma and Rohingya Maiyufuinor Collaborative Network
တရားမဝင်စစ်မှုထမ်းနှင့် အမျိုးသမီးများအပေါ်သက်ရောက်မှုများ
By Burmese Women’s Union
Myanmar’s Illegal Conscription Law and Its Impact on Women
By Burmese Women’s Union
Three-Year Activities Report Of National Unity Government, Ministry of Health (2021-2024)
By National Unity Government (Ministry of Health)
Progressive Voice is a participatory, rights-based policy research and advocacy organization that was born out of Burma Partnership. Burma Partnership officially ended its work on October 10, 2016 transitioning to a rights-based policy research and advocacy organization called Progressive Voice. For further information, please see our press release “Burma Partnership Celebrates Continuing Regional Solidarity for Burma and Embraces the Work Ahead for Progressive Voice.”
