
Inside the Rohingya crisis – two years later – people are still in limbo
In August 2017, more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims were forced from their homes in Myanmar by military forces in the country.
Doctors Without Borders estimates at least 6,700 Rohingya people were killed in just one month.
There are now an estimated one million Rohingya muslims living in Cox’s Bazar – the world’s largest refugee camp in Bangladesh.
Context went to Cox’s Bazar last year to hear the stories of a people living in limbo – unable to to receive full refugee status, and unable to return home.
Questions on how the world could let one million people face such terrible violence and not hold the Myanmar government to account continue. Here are some updates on the crisis:
UN expert warns Myanmar internet blackout could have, “serious implications for human rights”
Rakhine State – is now facing an internet blackout imposed by the Ministry of Transport and Communications. Yanghee Lee, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, says the blackout may be to cover up human rights violations.
Hope for justice for the one million Rohingya refugees forced from their homes in Myanmar.
The international criminal court is looking to open an investigation against the crimes committed by Myanmar.
The ICC does not have jurisdiction of the country, but has determined that because some of the crimes are of a “cross-border nature” with Bangladesh, where the Rohingya currently reside, the ICC can open an investigation.
Myanmar rejects the court’s jurisdiction.
UN releases report on, “systematic failures” in Rohingya response
The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an internal review after criticism that the United Nations ignored warnings signs of the violence against Rohingya Muslims. The review found “systematic failures” and a “”dynamic of divisions rather than cohesion within the UN system”.
Rohingya refugees given identification for the first time
More than 270,000 stateless Rohingya refugees were registered by the UNHCR, giving many of the refugees official identity cards for the first time. Despite being from Myanmar, the Rohingya were not allowed to formal citizenship and documentation in their home country.
Christians are also among the religious people of faith who are targeted by Myanmar armed forces: