The Burmese military and the Arakan Army are targeting an estimated 600,000 members of the Rohingya ethnic and religious minority group remaining in Myanmar with atrocities, in addition to risking the group with lethal conditions as a direct result of their armed conflict. Developments in the year 2024 point to the urgency of the matter, which has rapidly deteriorated since the resumption of such an armed conflict in November 2023. To accelerate its decades-long genocide, the Burmese military – perpetrator of crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide – has been launching more armed ground, air, and naval attacks on Rohingya civilians. It has also been pursuing a strategy of divide and conquer among the diverse populace of Rakhine State, especially by forcibly recruiting Rohingya civilians, collaborating with “Rohingya militant groups,” and forcing Rohingya civilians into divisive protests. Meanwhile, in its efforts for full control over Rakhine State, or “Arakan,” members of the Arakan Army have recently been acting in ways that demonstrate an ambition to take full control of, or get rid of, Rohingya in its desired area. Their acts range from torching Rohingya villages to massacring Rohingya civilians, including internally displaced persons, all the while promoting hate speech and genocidal rhetoric against Rohingya. Evidence points to a pattern of atrocities unique to each perpetrator, yet collectively risk yielding the same, devastating consequences on Arakan, Myanmar, South and Southeast Asia, and the world. At this critical juncture, it is imperative that – in consultation with Rohingya – the international community, including United Nations Member States, the leadership of the Burmese pro-democracy movement, and the Arakan Army all take measures to prevent the crisis from further exacerbating.

Key recommendations include:

1. THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY to immediately act to protect Rohingya, prevent further atrocities against them, and provide humanitarian aid to Rohingya forcibly displaced by the ongoing crisis in Rakhine State;

2. THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL to immediately hold a meeting dedicated to addressing the situation in Rakhine State, and discussing the possibility of non-compliance of the provisional measures that were issued by the International Court of Justice in The Gambia v. Myanmar;

3. THE LEADERSHIP OF THE BURMESE PRO-DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT, including the National Unity Government, the National Unity Consultative Council, and ethnic revolutionary organizations, to take measures immediately to mitigate the risk of further atrocities by the AA, and combat actively the Burmese military’s attempts to manipulate the people’s pursuit for a truly inclusive federal democracy; and

4. THE ARAKAN ARMY to cease immediately its attacks on Rohingya civilians, and instead genuinely work towards building a robust foundation for the peaceful coexistence of all people of Arakan, including Rakhine and Rohingya ethnic groups.