Statement on the 8th anniversary of the Myanmar military’s attack against Rohingya

August 25, 2025 – Embassy of Canada to Myanmar, High Commission of Canada to Bangladesh

Today marks eight years since the Myanmar military launched a brutal campaign against the Rohingya people in Rakhine State, Myanmar, which resulted in the tragic loss of 7,000 civilians and led to a mass exodus of 800,000 Rohingya who fled their homeland to neighbouring Bangladesh. Today, Bangladesh hosts more than 1.1 million Rohingya refugees, making this one of the largest and most protracted refugee situations in the world.

The situation in Myanmar is amongst the worst in the world. Canada remains deeply concerned by the devastating impacts of conflict on civilians in Rakhine State, including Rohingya. The Myanmar military regime has escalated conflict and increased indiscriminate airstrikes against civilians. Other parties to the conflict have also violated human rights and harmed civilians. The situation in Myanmar does not permit the safe, voluntary, dignified, and sustainable return of Rohingya, who remain stateless and one of the world’s most persecuted groups. More than 8,000 Rohingya fled by dangerous sea routes in 2024 seeking refuge elsewhere, an 80 per cent increase from 2023.

Since 2017, Canada has provided more than $600 million in international assistance to help strengthen the resilience of crisis-affected populations in Myanmar, as well as refugees and host communities in Bangladesh. Canada remains grateful to the people and the Government of Bangladesh who continue to host Rohingya refugees, and reiterates its commitment to help support the rights and needs of refugees, as well as their host communities. Canada is committed to pursuing accountability for atrocities committed in Myanmar, including justice for Rohingya survivors. Canada has imposed eleven rounds of targeted sanctions against individuals and entities associated with the military regime since the beginning of the Rohingya crisis in 2017, most recently on March 7, 2025.

Canada calls on all parties to immediately de-escalate violence, ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access across the country, and prioritize the protection of civilians. We reiterate our support for the central role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its Five-Point Consensus, in facilitating a peaceful solution to the multiple Myanmar crises. We strongly support collaboration between the ASEAN and UN Special Envoys.

Canada commends the courage of Rohingya communities in the face of continuing hardships. We condemn the continued discrimination and persecution Rohingya people continue to endure. As we observe the eighth anniversary of the 2017 attack on Rohingya, Canada continues to stand in solidarity with the survivors, families, and communities whose lives have been changed.

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